A reading from the gospel according to Luke 17:20-25

20 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,
21 and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
22 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.
23 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.
24 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.
25 But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

Reflection: Thy Kingdom Come

The kingdom of God as a phrase appears so many times in the bible especially in the gospels. It is actually the core or central theme of the teachings of Jesus. He came to earth to establish it with Him as the king.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is neither here nor there. It is among us. That means we don’t look for it anywhere but within us. It cannot be observed. It can only be experienced. Do not run in pursuit of it. Just live it and live for it. Yet many people do not know about it. Just like the Pharisees, they ask, “When will the kingdom of God come?”

In the midst of massive injustices in the world today, we also ask, “Where is the kingdom of God?” “When will it come?” It is a valid question but the presence of the kingdom in our midst and its ultimate fulfillment is as certain as night and day. Previously, Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a mustard seed. Yes, it may be invisible to some people for now but the process of its achievement is written in stone so to speak.

It is easy to be discouraged by the present evils that envelope our society. Yet Jesus assures us that He will be with us until the end of time (Matthew 28:20). With faith and hope, we will overcome. Meanwhile, let us be reminded that small acts of love like helping a needy neighbor is a manifestation of the presence of the kingdom in our life. Imagine these acts of kindness when repeated all over the world. We would be amazed to know that the kingdom of God is truly alive.

Even as we repeat again and again the Our Father prayer with the words “Thy kingdom come”, let us make it alive in our life through actions that promotes peace, love, joy and righteousness – the values of the kingdom. In other words, let us not wait for the kingdom of God to come. Let us live our life in it because it has already come. By doing so, we make heaven on earth.

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Whenever we read or hear the Kingdom of God, we must always take note that Jesus did not give a definite explanation about it. Except for saying that it is among you, He never defined it. However, He did tell us what it is not. Moreover, He compared it to some phenomena such as a mustard seed, a wedding banquet, and an unexpected lightning. The most obvious reason why He did not define it is the limitation of human language and human understanding. Just like the mystery of God, any definition of the Kingdom of God will be short of its full meaning, scope and impact.

In the gospel passage above, Jesus cautions us that the Kingdom of God does not conform to human expectations. Let us remember that the Jews during His time expected a powerful king like David or Solomon who will drive away the Romans and restore their country to its glorious past. Not so, Jesus disappointed them. Even now, some people have their own predictions of the second coming of Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom. Let us be very cautious.

When Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is “among you”, it means it has already begun with His arrival. He has already inaugurated it and He Himself is the King. That is why, He tells us not to look any further. Instead, He is asking us to believe in Him and follow Him, not reject Him. Then the Kingdom of God will be realized in our life. In other words, let us not look for some external manifestations of God’s Kingdom but to make Jesus the King in our heart and in our communities and to be attuned to His transformative power which is at work in our life.

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Through this passage, Jesus invites us to shift our focus from looking outward for signs of God’s kingdom to looking inward and recognizing God’s presence within us and among us. The Pharisees, like many of us, expected the kingdom to arrive with grand signs, political power, or dramatic events. However, Jesus reveals that God’s kingdom is subtle, rooted in the hearts of those who follow Him, manifesting in acts of love, mercy, justice, and compassion.

This particular Gospel passage calls us to look for God’s kingdom in everyday moments. It’s in the kindness we offer to a stranger, the forgiveness we extend to those who hurt us, and the courage we find to speak the truth in love. When we live with love, grace, and humility, we reveal the reality of God’s kingdom to the world.

Jesus goes on to warn His disciples not to be misled by those who claim to know when the kingdom will arrive, cautioning that “as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day” (Luke 17:24). Here, Jesus reminds us that while the kingdom is present within us, a future fulfillment is coming — one that will be unmistakable and evident to all. This dual aspect of the kingdom, already here but not yet fully realized, invites us to live in hopeful anticipation.

Jesus also hints at the suffering He will endure, stating, “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:25). Through His own sacrifice, Jesus exemplifies the path of the kingdom: a way of love that often involves humility, sacrifice, and self-denial. Following Him means embracing both the joy and the challenges that come with being a part of God’s kingdom.

Reflecting on this passage, we are called to examine our own expectations. Are we waiting for God’s kingdom to arrive in grand ways, missing the ways God is already working in and around us? Are we willing to be vessels of God’s love and justice in our daily interactions, even in small and seemingly insignificant ways?

Jesus encourages us to open our eyes and our hearts to the kingdom of God present among us. He calls us to live with the awareness that, as His followers, we carry this kingdom within us, shining His light in a world that desperately needs hope. Let us commit ourselves to embodying the love and peace of God’s kingdom, trusting in His promise of a future fulfillment that will be as clear and unmistakable as lightning across the sky.