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The Kingdom of God (which is, partly, a mysterious, shimmering internal palace in which we experience righteousness, peace and joy) is, in lightning flashes, here already—we can leap into it—though not yet fully here. We sense the rainbowed presence of Christ in the joy which pulses through creation. Christ strolls into our rooms with his wisdom and guidance & things change. Prayers are answered, we are healed, our hearts are strangely warmed. Sometimes.

And yet, we also experience sin, deep within & all around us. Our own sin, which steals our peace and distorts the trajectory of our lives. And the sin of the world--its greed, dishonesty and environmental destruction.

But in this broken world, in which we have a spiritual adversary, we still experience the glory of creation; “coincidences” which accelerate once we start praying, and shalom which envelops us like sudden sunshine. Portals into this Kingdom include repentance, gratitude, meditative breathing, and absolute surrender.

Christ's Kingdom is “here already, yet not yet here.” Christ,

who rose from the dead, is now forever, vibrantly alive; he

stalks the earth. We sense him in the joy of all creation.

In lightning flashes , we glimpse his shimmering Kingdom

--great palaces of peace deep within us. On invitation, Christ

walks into our rooms with his clarity and wisdom, and things

change. We sometimes experience wave upon wave of the

love of God deep within and all around us. Our prayers are

answered. Sometimes. We are healed. Sometimes. We feel our hearts

strangely warmed with loving-kindness and warm-fuzzies. Sometimes.

But we also experience sin, deep within and all around us.

We are bruised by other people’s greed, stinginess, bossiness,

And then…there’s the sin of the world—the cruelty, pride,

unbridled greed and environmental destruction!

And yet, the Kingdom, God’s presence, is always available

--its peace, its guidance, its wisdom and its joy. We can

leap sideways into it, sometimes. Or it may take a hard

wrestling with our own traumas, grudges, habits, and neurology.

Repentance is one portal into the Kingdom. As is our slow

meditative breathing. As is gratitude. And absolute surrender.

Our eyes still perceive the glory of the coming of the Lord--

in surprising joy and shalom, well-being, which envelops us like

sudden sunshine; in glacially slow but unmistakeable personal

change; in the acceleration of coincidences and answers once we

start praying; in the glory of creation. And so, we,

with quivering voices, sing our broken hallelujahs as we observe

Christ’s kingdom inexorably, infinitesimally appear on earth, too.

My memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India UK USA

Blog: anitamathias.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitamathiaswriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anita.mathias/
Twitter : anitamathias1
My book of essays: Wandering Between Two Worlds (US) and UK

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"Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who

humble themselves will be exalted." And so, Jesus states a law

of life. Those who broadcast their amazingness will be humbled,

since God dislikes--scorns that, as much as people do. For to

trumpet our success, wealth, brilliance, giftedness or popularity

is to get distracted from the purpose for which we were created

into pointless, worthless activity. Those who love power, who are

sure they know best, and who must be the best, will eventually be

humbled by God and life. For their focus has shifted from loving

God, doing good work, and being a blessing to their family, friends,

and the world towards impressing others, being enviable, perhaps

famous. These things are houses built on sand, which will crumble

when hammered by the waves of old age, infirmity or adversity.

God resists the proud, Scripture tells us--those who strive

for the admiration, attention and power which is His alone

but He helps the humble. So how do we resist pride? We

slow down, so that we notice and repent when sheer pride

sparks our allergies to people, our enmities, our determination

to have our own way, or our grandiose pride-driven goals, dreams and ambitions.

Once we stop chasing limelight or showing off, a great quietness

steals over our lives. We no longer need the drug of continual

achievement, or to share memories or images of glittering travel,

parties, prizes or friends. We just enjoy them quietly. My life

is for itself, and not for a spectacle, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote.

And, as Jesus advises, we don’t sharp-elbow ourselves to

the most prominent place with the shiniest people, but are

content to hang out with ordinary people, where we may

learn new things, and develop our character, kindness and

empathy, if not our network. And then, as Jesus said, we will

inevitably, eventually, be summoned higher to where, perhaps,

the conversation is more heady and sparkling, or perhaps

upwards to sit with those of a gentle, humble and radiant heart.

So how do we cultivate humility? J I Packer suggests: “Consider

everything you know about yourself. If other people knew it,

would they esteem you? They would all think, ‘What a rascal!’

So, why are you esteeming yourself better than anyone else?”

One day, every knee will bow before the gentle lamb

who was slain, now seated on the throne. We will all be silent

before him. Let us live gently then, our eyes on Christ,

continually asking for his power, his Spirit, and his direction,

moving, dancing, in the direction that we sense him move.

My memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India UK USA

Blog: anitamathias.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitamathiaswriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anita.mathias/
Twitter : anitamathias1
My book of essays: Wandering Between Two Worlds (US) and UK

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Christ’s theological and political enemies try, always try, to catch him out with multitudes of trick questions. Which is the greatest commandment in the law? they ask, craftily, ready to make a case for the one he does not choose.

And from the morass of the 613 commands in the Torah, Christ chooses just two. The great and first commandment, the megale and protos commandment, he says, is to love God, with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. Love God, because he, creator of the universe, and of you; lover of the world and of you; dream-giver, dream-granter, is worthy of our love.

The second one is like it, love your neighbour as yourself; do unto others what you wish they would do unto you. Treat yourself gently; treat others gently. The entire law and the prophets hang on these two commandments, Jesus says.

And Jesus models living these commandments--waking early, and slipping to lonely places to chat with his father; maintaining his physical, mental and spiritual health by hiking to be alone with God in deserts, by the River Jordan, on mountains, in gardens. And he loved people, sharing bread and wine he created by the power of faith, cooking fish for his friends, bringing healing through his presence, his words, and his wisdom.

A great golden triad on which to base our lives--love of God, of others, and of our own selves.

My memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India UK USA

Blog: anitamathias.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitamathiaswriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anita.mathias/
Twitter : anitamathias1
My book of essays: Wandering Between Two Worlds (US) and UK