A JOURNEY TO INTEGRITY - ADVENT 2017 - DAY 12

Integrity... to be agents of the Reign of God

Second Thursday in Advent
Isa 41: 13-20; Mt 11: 11-15

Jesus speaks of the Reign that suffers at the hands of the violent. It follows from Jesus' assertion that the Reign of God rests amidst us. Yes, the Reign lives amidst the persons of integrity, amidst those who live the values of the Reign. Most of the times when I would speak to persons, especially the Religious, about the Reign of God, the discussion would not come to an end without a question: "are all that you spoke of, possible? Can we really establish such a Reign in our context?" 

My response would be: it is not about establishing the Reign. The Reign already exists, in the persons who stand for love and mutual care, in persons who thirst for justice and truth, in persons who are ready to give up even their lives for the sake of fullness of life for all, in persons who live with integrity. The question is do we form part of that Reign already in our life or not. And if we do form part of it, it would be seen in our everyday choices, our priorities and the causes we stand for and speak out for. 

When we do it, we will not be surely left in peace. We will have troubles from every corner and the Lord assures us in the first reading today: 'Fear not! I will help you!' Because the Reign of God is the Lord's doing and we are all agents of that the Reign here on earth. And we become agents of the Reign by becoming persons of integrity!