Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God two thousand years ago, but it is still maturing, and it has not yet reached its fullness. He has entrusted this to us, to his Church which is always animated by the Spirit. As the tree has internal sap, and receives its nourishment from the earth, and in due time produces shoots and then leaves and flowers and fruits, similarly is the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is continually growing and moving forward. Why? Because those of us who try to live the values of the Kingdom of God, generation after generation, are trying to transmit its values to the world, so that the tree bears fruit and the love of God can be known and embraced by all. Therefore, as missionary disciples of Jesus, we are given a call to action. And for this we must remain vigilant. This vigilance requires preparation, sensitivity, and the challenge of being prophets and evangelizers.
My dear brothers and sisters, the Kingdom of God is already present among us. The Kingdom of God is not something that is far from us, but “is among us.” When we pray, show charity, speak well of others, and welcome everyone, the Kingdom is present among us. The Kingdom is very present wherever the values of the Gospel are lived, but it will not be fully realized until the end, when all are gathered in Jesus.
Therefore, our lives should give witness to the “already, but not yet” coming of God’s presence in the world. Our lives must reflect that we have accepted and live by the Good News of God’s presence with us. In Advent, which we will begin this Sunday, we will be exhorted to be attentive to the Lord’s coming into our history because every moment of our life should be a “kairos”, a time of grace and of an encounter with the God who saves. Let us take advantage of this beautiful Advent season and renew our lives so we can transform our world and bring the Kingdom of God among us.