The Kingdom Is Now & Everyone Is Invited

Mbird

Franciscan Father Richard Rohr, director of the Center for Action and Contemplation, recently wrote in his Daily Meditation newsletter, that: "The human soul is being gradually readied so that actual intimacy and partnership with the Divine are the result. It’s all moving toward a final marriage between God and creation. Note that such salvation is a social and cosmic concept, not just about isolated individuals 'going to heaven.' The Church was meant to bring this corporate salvation to conscious and visible possibility."

I have to confess that this was not the main takeaway I had from twelve years of  religious education.

But it's still pretty good news.

And the idea of salvation being social actually makes a lot of sense.

Practically speaking, if I can't love my neighbors, why would I want to spend time in heaven with them?

John writes in one of his epistles: "If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" (John 1 4:30 NLT).


And John makes a really good point about the connection between loving people we can see and loving God, who we can't.

Jesus himself said that the gold standard for others knowing if we love and follow Him is how we treat others. "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:35 NLT).

The whole idea is that God has invited us to intimate relationship, grounded in love, that isn't predicated on how worthy we are.

Rohr goes on to note: 

"It is important not to confuse divine union with human perfection. The choice for union is always from God’s side; our response is always and forever partial and feeble.

BrianWhirledge.com

Jesus came to give us the courage to trust and allow our inherent union with God, and he modeled it for us in this world. Union is not a place we go to later—if we are good; union is the place from which we come, the place from which we’re called to live now. We wasted centuries confusing union with personal perfection. Union is God’s choice for us in our very imperfect world. Divine Love has no trouble loving imperfect things!" 

This makes sense as well, considering that, as far as God was concerned, any reconciling that needed to be done, on God's end, has already been accomplished. When Jesus said "It is finished," while on the cross, he meant it.

Keeping all of what Rohr writes in mind, has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the parable of The Prodigal Son. Almost everyone, Christian or not, has some idea of this story that Jesus told about two sons. One of them is responsible and works hard on his father's estate. The other is more focused on getting and promptly spending the inheritance his father has set aside for him.

After spending a few years away from home, eventually becoming broke and discouraged, the prodigal returns home, intending to work as a hired hand.

But his father, seeing him coming up the road, tells his staff to prepare a feast and runs to embrace his son. By doing so, the older, faithful son, becomes furious at his father. He's unable to understand why his dad is so happy about seeing a child who basically deserted the family.

GreekOrthodoxArchdiocese of America

As the story is usually told, the emphasis is on the two children - one being the "good" kid, the other being the "bad" one. And that the "good" kid needed to extend forgiveness to the "bad" son.

A few weeks ago when attending church, the parable took on a new meaning. The main point being that Jesus was telling a story about a father and two kids. And the father was extending grace to both of his children. To the one who needed forgiveness, it felt like grace; but to the older, faithful son, it felt like condemnation. 

The father had two kids. He loved them both equally. Jesus was making the point that it wasn't an either-or situation, it was yes, and. 

Considering that Jesus was telling this parable to the Pharisees (who readily identified with the older, faithful son) makes the point even clearer.

The kingdom is now, and everyone is invited.