Unfortunately, when we talk about God’s Kingdom there are still too many Catholics who think the Kingdom is synonymous with the afterlife. Fr. Richard McBrien wrote an excellent essay for Catholic Update, “What Is ‘the Kingdom of God’?” (Click here to read the entire article.) In it, Fr. McBrien explains the Kingdom of God in the following way:

Fr. McBrien goes on to talk about the three dimensions of God’s Kingdom (past, present, future) that shape the mission of the Church. Since together we make up the the Church as Body of Christ, Fr. McBrien is also identifying our mission.

Consider spending a few weeks prior to this celebration by helping the adults and children in your parish understand what we mean when we talk about the Kingdom. Ask various parishioners where they have seen signs of God’s Kingdom in their lives. Publish their answers in the parish bulletin on the feast of Christ the King.

Either before or after the building project, hand out a copy of the reflection on the feast of Christ the King from Bringing Home the Gospel: A Weekly Journal for Catholic Parents. (Click here to read reflection.) Ask families or groups of individuals to consider and then talk about the question that follows the reflection.

Have different groups or families put together the various components to represent the Kingdom of God. You can go to the library or “Google” the terms below to get pertinent information, vocabulary and illustrations to help participants design and construct the following components:

When everyone is finished, come together and share your work. Remember to have the youngsters hand out crowns to everyone. You might complete your celebration with a medieval feast (chicken wings and drumsticks, great loaves of bread, hunks of cheese, vegetables, etc.). 

Here we are looking at the end of another liturgical year—in a matter of weeks! As we prepare ourselves and our parishioners for the Solemnity of Christ the King, we need to do so with a renewed sense of purpose and with renewed energy for our mission as servants of the Kingdom.

I take comfort in trusting that God is in charge, that God reigns, that I can turn to God in times of trouble or uncertainty. I just learned that a girl I had taught as a 7th and 8th grader back in the late 80’s had died of cancer at the age of 19. She was a neat kid—funny, outspoken and optimistic. She didn’t take herself too seriously at a time of life when so many of her classmates were taking themselves quite seriously. It’s hard for me to take in the reality of a death like that—and to learn of it now nearly 12 years after it had occurred. It has taken the wind out of my sails at a time when I am already tired from the many things that have kept me so busy this season.

But my mission (and yours) is to be a servant of the Kingdom of God. This is the time for a final sprint to the finish line of the liturgical year. God will help me to discern what is truly important to accomplish and will give me the energy I need to do so. God will do the same for you if your life is busy, if you’re feeling low on energy, if time seems to be going by too quickly, if something has taken the wind out of your sails. Don’t even begin to think that we who are in ministry have a corner on these feelings. Our people, our parishioners know these same concerns and feelings all too well. They need the same encouragement to keep believing, to keep striving for the Kingdom.

I’ve selected a clip from an audiopresentation to share with you. It’s from Richard Rohr’s Sermon on the Mount retreat. Click here to listen to an audio clip ( Windows Media | RealMedia) in which Richard explains what the Kingdom of God is. During the eight hours of this retreat experience, Richard offers seven talks that contrast conventional wisdom with the wisdom of Christ. He draws listeners into the Kingdom of God, the end of the world and the experience of enlightenment. He explains that each generation lives in end times, that the Kingdom is for those willing to let go of all cultural idolatry (past and present) and that those who live in reality travel a path of life which unfolds into freedom. He issues a powerful call to follow Jesus Christ in the commandments of the New Testament.

Use this program for individual and small group adult faith formation. Make a copy available in the parish lending library for commuters and others interested in making an audio retreat. Take a copy to the local nursing home and make sure that local hospital chaplains have a copy. Encourage small groups to use the talks over seven weekly sessions. We haven’t heard from Matthew in a while except in the weekday readings, yet the Sermon on the Mount is great to reflect on any time of the year—and any year! And this is a great time as we approach the Solemnity of Christ the King.

May God, who is Savior and Lord, watch over and guide you in your ministry and life. Remember, Christ is King. That means that God is in charge—not us. So take a lesson from my former student, Katie Linz (7/9/1975-12/29/1994), and don’t take yourself so seriously!

St. Anthony Messenger Press has teamed with the USCCB to make this new Catechism for Adults available as an audiobook. The complete text of the US Catholic Catechism for Adults is presented by six different readers (Archbishop Donald Wuerl presents the introduction), with background and incidental music adding to the presentation. A sample of the audio presentation can be heard on our online catalog. The Catechism audiobook is a great resource for commuters, for the visually impaired or for those who would just rather listen than read. The stories at the beginning of each chapter also make great beginnings for small-group gatherings and classes, and the meditations and prayers make prayerful additions to your group sessions. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults—something worth listening to!