Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop
Seminarians of Conception Seminary College are our daily reflection writers for the first half of November. Every day will feature a reflection from a different seminarian. This is an opportunity for our seminarians to put their education into practice and connect with the people of God in a pastoral way.
In today’s gospel from Luke, we see another instance of Jesus confronting the Pharisees. Jesus says, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed… For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” In this sense, “Kingdom of God” refers to heaven, and more specifically among the Jews, to a long-awaited savior. In this day and age, Christians see what the Pharisees did not—namely, that Jesus was that savior. Still, Christians await the time for their own entrance into heaven and the fulfillment of their salvation.
When Christ died on the cross, it was a free gift for the salvation of all people. Yet, all are not saved, and the danger of hell is a stark reality. When looking at eternity in the light of a relationship with God, we see heaven as an acceptance of that relationship while hell is a rejection of it. While Christ freely offers this relationship, receiving it is not just something that happens. Rather, it is something that we need to actively do. When is this done? As the timeless Word of God, the Gospel stays true today. “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed.” That is, we cannot know when we are going to die and hopefully go to heaven. That which we can know is how we choose to live today—following Christ and His Church and receiving the sacraments in acceptance of His love and mercy, or rejecting Him in a life of sin.
Reflection by Garrett Hugeback, seminarian
Diocese of Sioux City
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections