From: Luke 17:20-25

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

[20] Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming, He
(Jesus) answered them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be
observed; [21] nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the King-
dom of God is in the midst of you.”

The Day of the Son of Man

[22] And He said to His disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to
see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. [23] And they will
say to you, ‘Lo, there!’ or ‘Lo, here!’ Do not go, do not follow them. [24] For as the
lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son
of Man be in His day. [25] But first He must suffer many things and be rejected
by this generation.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

20-21. Like many Jews of their time, the Pharisees imagined the establishment
of the Kingdom of God in terms of external, political authority; whereas Jesus tea-
ches that it is something eminently spiritual, supernatural, which has been happe-
ning since Jesus’ coming, although its climax will be after His Second Coming or
Parousia at the end of the world; its effect is to be seen, above all, in men’s
hearts, although it is also something visible and external, just as the Church has
a visible dimension.

The presence of the Kingdom of God in each soul is something one perceives
through the affections and inspirations communicated by the Holy Spirit. St.
Therese of Lisieux says this about her own experience: “The Doctor of doctors
teaches us without the sound of words. I have never heard Him speak, and yet
I know He is within my soul. Every moment He is guiding and inspiring me, and,
just at the moment I need them, ‘lights’ till then unseen are granted me. Most of-
ten it is not at prayer that they come but while I go about my daily duties” (”The
Story of a Soul”, Chapter 8).

22. After the Apostles receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost they will
devote their whole lives to preaching boldly the message of Jesus Christ, and
winning all people over to the Lord. This will lead them to experience many
severe contradictions; they will suffer so much that they will yearn to see even
“one of the days of the Son of Man”, that is, one of the days of the victory of Je-
sus Christ. But this day will not arrive until the Lord’s Second Coming.

23-36. These words of our Lord are a prophecy about the last coming of the Son
of Man. We should remember that prophecy often involves events on different le-
vels, many symbols, a terminology of its own; the “chiaroscuro” which they cre-
ate gives us insight into future events, but the concrete details only become clear
when the events actually occur. Our Lord’s last coming will be something sudden
and unexpected; it will catch many people unprepared. Jesus illustrates this by
giving examples from sacred history: as in the time of Noah (cf. Genesis 6:9-19:
7) and that of Lot (cf. Genesis 18:16-19:27) divine judgment will be visited on
men without warning.

However, it is useful to recall here that everyone will find himself before the divine
Judge immediately when he dies, at the Particular Judgment. Thus Jesus’ tea-
ching has also a present urgency about it: here and now a disciple should scru-
tinize his own conduct, for the Lord can call him when he least expects.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading	Philemon 1:7-20 ©

I am so delighted, and comforted, to know of your love; they tell me, brother, how you have put new heart into the saints.

Now, although in Christ I can have no diffidence about telling you to do whatever is your duty, I am appealing to your love instead, reminding you that this is Paul writing, an old man now and, what is more, still a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. He was of no use to you before, but he will be useful to you now, as he has been to me. I am sending him back to you, and with him – I could say – a part of my own self. I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the Good News has brought me. However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me; but if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, then let me pay for it. I am writing this in my own handwriting: I, Paul, shall pay it back – I will not add any mention of your own debt to me, which is yourself. Well then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; put new heart into me, in Christ.

Psalm	Psalm 145:7-10 ©

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God.

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God.

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

who raises up those who are bowed down,

the Lord, who protects the stranger

and upholds the widow and orphan.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God.

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who loves the just

but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

Zion’s God, from age to age.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation	1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord remains for ever:

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn15:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him,

bears fruit in plenty,

says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 17:20-25 ©

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus gave them this answer, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look here! Look there!” For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.’

He said to the disciples, ‘A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. But first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.’