Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:7-13

And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. 9 Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, salute it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

We are called to preach for "the kingdom of heaven is at hand". So what is the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of heaven is the reign of God on earth through us. Each and every one of us is a creator of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heavne is every man and woman who has committed their life to Christ. Every day we pray, every day we give without repayment and every day we fast for our Lord Jesus Christ, we help reveal a little more of the kingdom of heaven on earth. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that "You received without cost, give without cost." God has given us so much. He gave us the bounty we receive each day. He gives us nourishment for our minds and our souls. He gave us His son who died for our sins. Now we are called to give back without any expectation of return. We are called to live and preach the gospel every day without any expectation of reward. In fact, we might even be ridiculed for preaching the word. The gospel may bring sorrow, but in the end you will experience the joy of eternal life with God. Our first call is to serve God in heaven. If we expect material gain for our efforts, how can we bond with God? We have been chosen to bear witness to the Gospels. Live them daily.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, God of heaven on Earth,

Nourish me and give me strength to preach your Gospel.

Let me want not for your glory is all I seek.

Let me be a living testament to your Word.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon