Here Jesus describes a 3-dimensional kingdom where: 

1) The rejected find acceptance. 

Listen: ‘The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear’. These people had no position or value; they were society’s rejects. But what others see as trash, God sees as treasure. Paul says, ‘We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ…’ (Ephesians 2:10). You’re not valuable because of where you come from nor what you can do, but because of who you belong to. That’s great news! 

2) Life overcomes death. 

Jesus could say, ‘The dead are raised’, because He personally unlocked death’s prison. Way back in 1899 two men died: a believer, Mr Moody and an atheist, Mr Ingersol. A biographer remembered their deaths like this: ‘Ingersol died suddenly. Public response to his passing was dismal. His death was tragic, without consolation or hope. But Moody awoke on his last winter dawn and said, “Earth recedes, heaven opens before me! If this is death it is sweet.”’ 

3) Mercy replaces justice. 

Why did Jesus say, ‘Good news is being preached to the poor?’ Because membership in God’s kingdom can’t be swiped with a credit card. You don’t get in by being good enough, but by admitting that you could never be good enough. That’s why Paul writes: ‘…by grace you have been saved…not by works…’ (Ephesians 2:8-9). When God’s law demanded justice, God’s mercy gave us another chance. Come on!!!

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken."

(Many of the reflections on each page are used with the kind permission of United Christian Broadcastors (UCB) from their FREE daily devotional - The Word for Today. They allow the publication of 52 of their passages per year and I find their messages apt and though-provoking for the times we live in.)

A Circle of Prayer around the world praying for and with each other, for peace and for a world in crisis. Please read more about it and perhaps join us, prayer was never more needed than it is in these times!

Praying all year round for the souls of our deceased relatives and friends, for the souls of those most in need of prayer and for those souls in purgatory who have nobody to pray for them.