Our readings have a brief and comforting message: seek the Lord; he is near!
In the first reading, Hosea, the Prophet is encouraging the people to seek God: to sow justice, to reap the fruit of piety, to break up for themselves a new field. And, if they do seek him – he will come!
The gospel passage announces that very arrival: many centuries later: Jesus comes among God his Father's people to announce the arrival of the great kingdom which will begin here on earth and last forever in heaven.
It is time to gather fully the lost sheep of the house of Israel; it is time to transform them into a new and permanent family; it is the time of justice, peace and mercy!
To help him get the message out, Jesus selects and names Twelve, close friends, Twelve Apostles: who would perform great signs with power from on high to give credibility to the message that they were to proclaim to the ends of the earth: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!
Jesus, of course, is the Kingdom and the King – and we are all invited to be members of that Kingdom and his loving, adoring subjects! It is our pleasure and our joy to be so this day – and to announce to those we will meet today: IT IS REALLY HERE! IT IS REALLY ALREADY BEGUN! THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND! and THE GREAT KING, JESUS, IS OUR PERSONAL AND BEST FRIEND – and he can be yours too!
The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the Gospel!
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