GOD'S KINGDOM IS FIRST SERVED HERE ON EARTH............

The Proclamation of the Gospel on this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 9:30-37; illustrates for Catholic-Christian Disciples the truth that the Kingdom of God we are chosen and called to share in, is not some distant, far away, destination in our future; but present here and now, in the relationships we build and carry out in Fidelity, Faith, and Fellowship with the Holy Trinity of God and Humankind.  The everlasting experience of God's Kingdom we anticipate and hope to avail of in Eternal Life is not automatically attained, but moved toward as persons on earth committed to living and bearing witness to the values that are rooted in the Good News and Public Ministry of Jesus The Christ, God's Redeeming and Reconciling Son.  Just as the fear of the first followers of Jesus in the approaching of His suffering and death, was superseded by the reality of Christ's Resurrection; so too, is our faith in the Risen Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the source of strength for us in serving Him and ministering to others, as we build the further Coming of God's Kingdom.  What we do daily as Faithful Witnesses to the Gospel and doers of the Ministries of Charity, Healing, and Reconciliation, sow the seeds of Eternal Life in the gracious benevolence of the Divine, as we live out our commitments on Earth to the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love, that are Kingdom building now and forever.  As a person of Faith and Priest of Jesus Christ, that lesson and insight have been re-enforced during the past decade, as I increasingly discover the necessity of serving the Lord Jesus, and ministering to God's People, despite the health hardships and physical challenges I face, are a requirement of my Discipleship in building the Kingdom.  What each of us does in bearing Faithful Witness to Jesus The Christ and God's Kingdom makes a difference toward the betterment of the common good and contributes to building the Kingdom today and assures us citizenship in Everlasting Life.  What will you do today and this week, to effectively minister to others in building God's Kingdom ?............Fr.  Troy