Thy Kingdom Come!

It sometimes seems that God shows his sense of humor with history. Emperor Nero was sure that the most important happenings in Rome were the words he said, the laws he enacted, and the things he did. As a matter of fact, the biggest events in Rome at the time were some prayer meetings which were being held secretly in the catacombs. 

The Medici were certainly the key figures in Renaissance Europe, with their palaces, art galleries, and political power. Yet they are overshadowed by “a little boy playing about on the docks of Genoa,” who would eventually open the seaway to the Americas – Christopher Columbus.

So it was in John the Baptist’s time. One can easily imagine the pomp and circumstance with which Herod trampled about as tetrarch of Galilee. Wherever he went, people scraped and bowed. They waited for a disdaining nod and dreamed of some act of preferment from his hand. Herod was, indeed, a big man in Galilee in the first century. Today, all his pomp is simply pompous, and all his circumstance only circumstantial. But John the Baptist, history has discovered, was a great human being. He introduced us to Jesus, who changed the world forever. 

Today….Some politician comes on the screens of the world. Countries and institutions are shaken as billions of people have their eyes glued to their smart phones watching and listening to him. But some insignificant person like Mary listens and hears God speaking. And like Mary who is almost impossible to find at the time, says, “YES” to God, and life on earth is transformed and not simply changed. 

“Thy Kingdom Come on Earth” becomes a reality. All it takes is that one person like Mary or John the Baptist who is listening, really listening to God so that the Holy Spirit can act, like the Spirit acted upon Mary and John the Baptist. Once again this year, Advent brings all this to our attention, if we would only take the time to notice and to listen to God speaking to us humans.

Thanks to Halford Luccock and J. Ellsworth Kalas for inspiring some of these thoughts. 

What “YES” to God are YOU willing to make this Christmas?

Are you looking for a last minute Christmas gift? Please consider my A POEM A DAY TO PRAY 2025    One poem for each day of the New Year. Please check it out: https://treatsforthesoul.org/a-poem-a-day-to-pray/

DON’T LET THE NOISE OF THE WORLD KEEP YOU FROM HEARING THE VOICE OF THE LORD THIS CHRISTMAS!