The kingdom of God is at hand for you

FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY (Lk 10,1-9)

Here is the mission that the Body of Christ, in each of its members, according to his particular responsibilities, will have to accomplish: saying, announcing and revealing to every man that the kingdom of God is near, inviting to enter into it. The preaching of the kingdom and the invitation to all men to enter into it is the command of Jesus and his true commandment: “And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Lk 24,46-48). “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”” (Mt 28,18-20). “He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs” (Mk 16,15-20).

The Apostles of the Lord are responsible for the evangelizing mission and for baptism, for the invitation to conversion and to make disciples of all men of all peoples: “(Jesus) said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” ” (Jn 20,21-23). If they do not preach the kingdom and do not invite people to let themselves be baptized, they do not enter the kingdom of God: “Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit”” (Jn 3,3-8). Every single man might renounce to accept Jesus Christ. He will assume its eternal consequences. However, the commandment must always be observed. The mission is not an advice. It is a command. The Apostles exist for preaching, for evangelization, for baptizing and forming the body of Christ.

After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the labourers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out labourers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the labourer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’

Today this command is declared invalid due to human respect. Affirming these things is true idolatry. Man has taken the place of God, of Christ Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Respect for man is in truth and in charity, it is never in falsehood and lies. What respect might there be for a man if he is left to end up in eternal perdition? The rich villain from hell does not think the way Christians think today.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that our thoughts are from the truth of Christ Jesus.