ANNOUNCING THE KINGDOM

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Today, August 24, is the feast of the apostle Bartholomew. The refrain of the responsorial psalm at mass gave me a good meditation this morning:

"Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendor of your kingdom." 

The psalm was chosen, obviously, because Bartholomew (also called Nathaniel) and the other apostles were "friends" of the Lord who "made known the glorious splendors of His kingdom." But then, naturally, I asked myself where I fit in. 

I'd like to think that I'm one of God's "friends;" but if so, how do I make known to people "the glorious splendors of God's kingdom?" I have plenty of opportunities, of course. The most obvious example is that, as a priest I have the privilege of announcing the kingdom at mass when I read the gospel and preach about it. Then, as a teacher, especially when I'm teaching the New Testament, I have another obvious opportunity to "make known the glorious splendors of His kingdom," as I study the Gospels with my students.

But I have far more numerous opportunities than these to proclaim the kingdom: The sort of opportunities that everyday life gives you and me all the time whenever we're interacting with a brother or sister. Examples of such opportunities are endless:

When I take the trouble to visit or simply phone a shut-in or someone who's in the hospital, I'm revealing to them something about the kingdom of God's boundless love for everyone, especially the poor, the sick, and the suffering.

When I'm patient with someone who rubs me the wrong way, I'm revealing to that person something about the Lord's kingdom of unconditional love and forgive
ness.

When I encourage a student or a brother monk who is feeling sad or angry, I making known to them the glorious splendor of the kingdom that welcomes those who are suffering in mind or body.

When I treat a street person with respect and dignity, I'm giving him or her a glimpse of the splendor of God's kingdom that welcomes the marginalized, the outsider who has been forgotten and left behind by society.

So, it seems that there's always plenty of work at hand for each of us friends of the Lord to make known the glorious splendor of God's kingdom.

So, on this feast of the apostle Bartholomew, let's get to work announcing the glorious splendor of God's kingdom!