Share the Message of the Kingdom of God

In the days following the resurrection, the Church continues to re-present the Paschal victory of Christ. Just as the tomb could not hold captive the Lord of Life, fear was not to hold captive the proclamation of the Good News. Jesus conquered death by entering into the kingdom of darkness and gloom to free the world from the power of sin and death. Walking in the freedom of the children of God, we are to be agents of healing and reconciliation for all who find themselves on the margins of society. Like the Good Shepherd, we are to seek and find the lost and rejected. If we succeed, the Psalmist reminds us that the victory is not ours, but His. “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name give the glory because of your faithfulness and love” (Ps. 115: 1). The One Who raised Jesus from the dead is the One Who produces this good work in us.

The fruit of our labors is produced by the power of God who raised Christ from the dead. Just as in the passion and death of Christ, God manifested His victory over the powers of the world, so through our weakness God manifests His strength. Saint Paul put it quite beautifully: “I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Any good we do is done to the glory of Christ who is risen form the dead. The victory of Christ reminds us that of ourselves we can do nothing but in God we can build up of the Kingdom.

Through the waters of baptism we have been made members of the Body of Christ. In us and in our outreach of love God continues to glorify His name (Cf. Jn. 12:28). Just as Christ redeemed the world by taking to Himself the form of a slave, so now He sends us forth to continue the great work of redemption until the end of time. Saint John underlines the reason for our confidence in carrying out this great mission. “You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1Jn. 4:4). God desires communion with us so that the world might come to know His great love.

Through word and action He makes His presence known. It is the duty of those to whom he has shown himself, to let others know what he has done for their souls. It is important that we support one another by share our experiences with fellow-believers. Having been grafted to Christ, we are commissioned to share our faith with others, testifying to the wonders He has done in our lives. By performing random acts of love may we manifest God’s compassion and love. May we serve as Christ’s hands and feet drawing others into a relationship with the Risen Lord.

--Father Jerome Machar, OSCO