Saturday, June 6
Liturgical Color: Green
St. Norbert died on this day in 1134. A
worldly person, St. Norbert took his
religious vows seriously after nearly
dying. Because his fellow monks resisted
reforms, he started a new, stricter order
that flourished across Europe.
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42 And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them; 43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
1 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
kingdom of God: A leading theme in the Gospels. It is mentioned more than 30 times in Luke.
The kingdom of Christ is closely connected with the ancient kingdom of David. For centuries David's empire lay in ruins, existing only in the minds of the prophets who foretold its glorious restoration by the Messiah (Is 9:6-7; Amos 9:11; Mk 11:10; Acts 1:6). Jesus now comes as the messianic heir to resurrect this fallen kingdom in a spiritual way, ruling from his throne at the Father's right hand (Mk 16:19; Acts 2:33-36). His everlasting reign in the heavenly Jerusalem thus fulfills God's covenant oath to establish David's throne for all time (1:32- 33; Ps 89:3-4). Like David, Christ appoints a cabinet of royal ministers (apostles) to manage the daily affairs of the kingdom (22:28-30; 2 Sam 8:15-18; 1 Kings 4:1-6). Even the international scope of Christ's kingdom was prefigured in the Davidic empire, which not only ruled over the tribes of Israel but extended its dominion over other nations as well.
According to Vatican II, the kingdom of God is mysteriously present in the Church, where Christ reigns as king and shepherds his people through the Magisterium (Lumen Gentium, 3). The kingdom will reach its full perfection in heaven.