Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.Todays gospels is one of those that does not have a teaching or a saying that can be expounded upon. It is a curious passage that only really serves as a transitional passage that points to the direction of Jesus’ Journey and gives us an idea of where He is going next. So instead of analyzing this the movements of Jesus, I wand to focus on what He is referring to when he talks about the “good news of the Kingdom of God”.
Many people rightly understand the kingdom of God to be “heaven”, but instead it is important to remember that heaven is not an etherial place where angels and human souls float around, without bodies. Heaven is going to be a real place with physical substance. You will have a glorified body, and you will be able to touch and feel things and interact with other people just like you do now.
This world is a dress rehearsal for the kingdom of heaven to come. And while the fullness of this kingdom will not be fully understood, until heaven is opened up for us, that does not mean that we cannot experience a sliver of this kingdom now while we are still here in this world. Every Joy, every love, and every beautiful thing that you experience is a sliver of God and His glorious plan for heaven.
So today don’t wait to spread joy, to do good, and bask in the beauty of God’s creation, because God is here in this world, and He wants to give you everything He has. The more you practice now, the more you will be ready for the glory of heaven when it comes.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, help me today to confront evil, and reject it, and to instead help spread the good news of your kingdom of heaven. But to do all of this with charity and a spirit of fraternal correction.