Thursday of week 32 in Ordinary Time
Luke 17:20-25

The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. They expected signs, something visible, even spectacular. But Jesus’ answer is disarming: “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed… For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Here lies the challenge. God’s Kingdom is not about outward displays or cosmic signs—it is about hearts transformed by love. It is not a revolution of politics or structures, but a revolution of people renewed in Christ. The Kingdom is already present wherever faith, forgiveness, and charity are lived.

With the Word alive in us, with his compassion, with his love, the reign of God has already broken into the world. Yet the Pharisees, who longed for God’s rule, failed to recognise him standing before them. How often do we too overlook God’s presence because it comes in the most ordinary ways, quietly, simply, and humbly?

Jesus then warns his disciples about the longing, even impatience, as the Church cries out, “How long, O Lord?” However, the timing is not something we can determine. What matters is not speculation or chasing after false signs, but remaining faithful to our daily vocation.

The Kingdom, then, is both already and not yet. Already here in Christ, in the sacraments, in the love we share. Not yet in its fullness, which we await with patience and hope. Our task is to live today as citizens of that Kingdom—finding God in the ordinary, welcoming his presence among us, and preparing our hearts for the day when Christ will come again in glory.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025