In between times

The psalmist in the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary this morning offers praise for help from God. This recognition that the wonderful and the ordinary events which we recognize as being helpful in our journey are gifts of the graciousness of God sets the stage for our attitude of thanksgiving from which we can act and see the world with prophetic eyes. These eyes are shown in the passage from the Prophet Jeremiah where God shows Jeremiah that nations and people can be reworked by the loving creative hand of God into better vessels. The spoiled efforts that human eyes concentrate on are the source of reformation in the hands of God. The short episodes in Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew contain, in parable form, many lessons about the Kingdom of God which is present in the world in Jesus. This kingdom is lived in relationship with Jesus. It exists in the time between the Incarnation and the Final Judgement. We can place some approximate human time on these events. Historically, Jesus was born in human form in Judah about 2000 years ago. In our journey, our “Yes”, our moment to be Mary, may have occurred at a different time. Our physical death will mark our transition from our current experience of the kingdom. The time between the Incarnation and the Final Judgement is our current existence. These parables advise us that the encounter with and the invitation to awareness of the kingdom is of immeasurable value. It is to be embraced. In that embrace of our life by God, we continue toward the final judgement aware of the growing, like the mustard plant and leaven bread, community that includes all people in the dragnet. In the kingdom, the input of the old faithful and their traditions will be treasured in the same way as the zeal and enthusiasm of the new members. We are returned to the praise of the psalmist for the gracious gifts of God.