Luke 17:20-25

Luke 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,

Jesus said in reply,

“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,

and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’

For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples,

“The days will come when you will long to see

one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.

There will be those who will say to you,

‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’

Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.

For just as lightning flashes

and lights up the sky from one side to the other,

so will the Son of Man be in his day.

But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I long to see your face and experience the fullness of your Kingdom. Through the coming of your Son, you have revealed your merciful love and begun to establish your reign on earth. Help me recognize your Kingdom in my midst, cooperate with its growth in my life and in the world, and await with joyful hope the glorious return of your Son.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Questions about the Kingdom: Today’s Gospel begins with a question from the Pharisees about the timing of the Kingdom – when will the Kingdom of God come? Tomorrow’s Gospel will conclude with a question from Jesus’ disciples about the place of the Kingdom – where will the Kingdom be manifested? The Pharisees have heard Jesus speak about the Kingdom of God, a central theme of his preaching. In wanting to know when the Kingdom would arrive, they were likely interpreting the prophecies about the restoration of David’s Kingdom in political and earthly terms. They longed for the overthrow of Roman rule and the restoration of Israel’s independence under a royal descendant of David. They may also have anticipated the military power, political influence, and material prosperity associated with earthly kingdoms. However, Jesus teaches that God’s Kingdom will not come in the way they expect. It will not be established through political revolution or military conquest. Instead, God’s reign is being established through the person and saving mission of Jesus Christ.

2. The Past, Present, and Future Kingdom: Jesus corrects the Pharisees’ expectations by declaring, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed ... For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:20-21). The Greek expression translated as “among you” can also mean “in your midst.” Jesus is telling the Pharisees that the Kingdom is already present because the King himself is standing before them. Through his preaching, miracles, forgiveness of sins, and victory over Satan, Jesus is manifesting God’s reign and fulfilling the promises made to David. The Kingdom has its roots in God’s covenant with David, is inaugurated through Jesus’ Incarnation and public ministry, and continues to be present through his Church. The Church is the seed and beginning of the Kingdom on earth, through which Christ continues his saving work (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 763-769). The Kingdom is therefore both an invisible and a visible reality. It is God’s reign in the hearts of those who believe, but it is also manifested visibly through the Church’s sacraments, worship, works of charity, and proclamation of the Gospel. Although the Kingdom is already present, it has not yet reached its fullness. We live in the tension between what Christ has accomplished through his first coming and what he will definitively accomplish when he returns in glory.

3. Awaiting the Kingdom: Jesus tells his disciples that the days will come when they will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man. He warns them not to follow those who claim that the Messiah has appeared in some particular place. His return will not be a hidden or localized event that requires people to search for him. Like lightning that illuminates the entire sky, the coming of the Son of Man will be unmistakable. Yet before his glorious manifestation, Jesus must “suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:25). The cross must precede the glory of the resurrection, and the suffering of Christ precedes his glorious return. As members of his Church, we live between these two comings of Christ. We work to advance the Kingdom through lives of faith, hope, and charity, even as we patiently await its definitive fulfillment. In the Eucharist, we receive a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and participate in the saving sacrifice of Christ. At every Mass, we proclaim the mystery of faith and look forward to his return, praying, "Come, Lord Jesus!" and "Thy Kingdom come!" Our hope is not for the triumphal restoration of an earthly kingdom, but for the fulfillment of God’s plan, when Christ will make all things new and reign forever.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have brought the Kingdom of God into our midst and invite me to share in your reign. Help me recognize your presence in your Church and in the people around me. Teach me to welcome God's Kingdom with humility, advance it through works of love and mercy, and remain steadfast in faith as I await your glorious return.

Living the Word of God: Do I recognize the presence of God's Kingdom in my daily life, especially through the Church, the sacraments, and the people around me? How can I help advance the Kingdom of God in my family, parish, and community through acts of faith, charity, and mercy? Do I live with joyful hope and patient expectation for Christ's return, or am I too preoccupied with the passing concerns of this world?