b-Abba - P 19: Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus often speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven
Who is the King? What is this Kingdom?
All are invited by Jesus to enter the Kingdom of God. Even the worst of sinners is called to convert and to accept the boundless mercy of the Father. Already here on earth, the Kingdom belongs to those who accept it with a humble heart. To them the mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed.
Jesus accompanied his words with signs and miracles to bear witness to the fact that the Kingdom is present in him, the Messiah. Although he healed some people, he did not come to abolish all evils here below but rather to free us especially from the slavery of sin. The driving out of demons proclaimed that his cross would be victorious over “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31).
Jesus chose the twelve, the future witnesses of his Resurrection, and made them sharers of his mission and of his authority to teach, to absolve from sins, and to build up and govern the Church. In this college, Peter received “the keys of the Kingdom” (Matthew 16:19) and assumed the first place with the mission to keep the faith in its integrity and to strengthen his brothers.
During the passion, Pilate called Jesus, and said to him,
"Are you the King of the Jews?" […]
Jesus answered,
"My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants (angels) would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world".
Pilate said to him,
"So you are a king?"
Jesus answered,
"You say that I am a king" (John 18, 28-37).
The words, the gestures, the prayers and the miracles of Jesus are the signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. He is the Messiah, the King of the Kings.
Then, how enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
Jesus gives the answer by parabolas (terrestrial stories evoking heavenly realities) :
The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened (Mt 13,33)
Or the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (44).
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it (45-46).
Jesus also says :
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many" (7, 13-14). Placing a child in the middle of them, he says: "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven" (18,3-4).
