“My kingdom does not belong to this world,” Jesus says to Pilate. The logical question is, Why not? Jesus’ mission has been one of peace, compassion, inclusivity, and reconciliation. Sounds good to me! And yet, we might ask ourselves: What are the obstacles to Jesus’ mission present in our own lives, our own communities? What social structures or personal privileges hamstring Jesus’ work today?
“Ask those who heard me what I said to them.” If Jesus were to look at us now and invite us to share publicly about his mission of love and mercy, what would we say? Would our response help to bring about his kingdom? Or would we fumble our chance to manifest God’s expansive desire for creation?
Fortunately, God is always drawing near, never tiring of working in and through us. Too often, though, we are the ones who pull away from God. Many of us feel as Joseph of Arimathea felt: We are “secretly a disciple of Jesus . . .” But why keep it secret? What prevents us from boldly embracing the Gospel and the radical hospitality that Jesus himself embodied? Why do we let fear hold us back? We’re the ones God keeps returning to, acting through, and dwelling within, whose story reaches our ears and moves our hearts even though we may miss it, ignore it, or mistake it. God never tires—and even when the story seems ended, God returns anew, transformed and alive, the Kingdom ever nearer, with a hand extended to all who are willing to take it.
