“REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.” MT 4:12-17, 23-25
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him. MT 4:12-17, 23-25
Today, Jesus the God Man teaches us to repent, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repent means to change the way a person looks at the meaning of life (ultimately sin-God I don’t care I’m going to do it anyway). Repent means to live with purpose and mission, to pray for our vocation and ask God what He made us for so we may avoid the near occasion of sin. Repentance is looking at life in a completely different way, God’s way, with His grace. If a person is to change their focus in life and find their mission they will need to find out who they are in prayer with the Trinity. Our lives are meant to be given away (deny yourself/kill our ego). The Gospel is a Gospel of detachment (fast, pray, give alms, so we don’t get addicted to material goods).
For all who are baptized our identity is wrapped up in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At baptism, we die with Christ and we are no longer our own, but claimed by Christ, a son or daughter of God. Christ brands Himself onto us. We are never alone even if we feel lonely. Jesus never leaves us no matter how many times we sin or how bad the sin is (He hates the sin, so we must too. This is not an invitation to continue the sin).
He stands firm within us, we are the ones who leave Him or distance ourselves from Him when we choose to sin. He is branded onto us, He never leaves or moves. He is always faithful, loving, and ready to forgive. As children of God, our innate vocation is to love. Jesus is love. Notice how many people flocked to Jesus when he preached and healed. Everyone needs a Savior (if we face our brokenness instead of hiding from it) and flocks to the Light.
Today’s challenge: Spend a little time each day learning about who God is so you can continue to know who you are. What did God make us for? To be holy and without blemish before the foundation of the world, a saint. After gaining knowledge of the Master Servant, go into your homes, schools, and communities and serve “for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” right here and right now.
Be a servant, become a saint! #Christian YOLO
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