Let us thanks to the Father,
who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Priests, religious, military people, and Veterans know the word transfer, as in "the Father... transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son...."
We have been trained for our mission -- physically, mentally, and spiritually -- but we have much to learn about our new assignments. We have to learn the lay of the land; meet those with whom we'll work, live, and worship; discover the precise nature of our duties; and discern the many unspoken assumptions that everyone else seems to know in this unfamiliar place. We'll learn to eat the local food and adjust to the climate. We might even cheer for the home team whoever they are and whatever they play.
In the meanwhile, privately, we'll grieve for all the familiar things we have lost. We'll often tell ourselves, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." Transfers are exciting, tiring, fascinating, and life changing. Settling into the new environment, we become denizens of the place, fully adjusted to the place and its peculiar people. If we stay long enough and apply a bit of effort, we might know as much and more about our new home as those native to the place.
Transferring into the kingdom of his beloved Son can also be difficult. Earthlings adjust to life as they know it, speaking the language, learning the skills and trades of survival. The ethos of the area is ours. If they're considerate, generous, trusting, and confident, we act the same. But if those around us are violent, abusive, manipulative and insensitive we do the same.
The Kingdom of God is a different kind of "place." It is anywhere and nowhere. No family, neighborhood, or religious community is ever completely conformed to it. The Kingdom of the Beloved Son always invites and challenges us to venture more deeply into its ethos. Often, to our intense embarrassment, we realize our attitudes and behavior are not even close and we realize the enormity of our sins. The revelation may come when we see someone -- perhaps an alien like the Good Samaritan; or a rogue like the Good Thief -- acting gracefully as we should act.
"Wow!" we think. "I thought only Christians could be so generous!"
If we don't get it completely, we're nonetheless being made fit to share the inheritance. Next Sunday we will begin preparation for the Lord's coming with prayer, penance and gentle sacrifices in the True Spirit of Advent.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.