Word to the Wise
Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 32nd Thursday in Ordinary Time
[Philemon 7-20 and Luke 17:20-25]The Kingdom of God cannot be observed and no one will announce, "Look, here it is, " or "There it is," For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."
A few weeks ago I was treated to my first "day at the races" here in Kentucky. Friends invited me to the track at Keeneland in Lexington, KY, about an hour from here. It was an educational and entertaining experience. I learned a great deal about the world of horse racing and it is a world that is based on uncertainty - i.e. gambling! One need not go to the track to admire a horse. One goes to the track to be part of the atmosphere and the majority are there to bet on a horse! All sorts of things go into the "discernment" since the racing form is a complicated document that includes the record of the horse, the record of the jockey, and the official "odds" on the combination. There's also a wealth of grapevine stuff called "tips." I found it all very interesting but I'm not a bettor. (At least not on that occasion!). Gambling is based on uncertainty and on the entertainment that can come from the experience of uncertainty. Some folks are inclined to "bet" on anything, and sometimes that "anything" is the Second Coming of Jesus. The basic message of Luke is that the first coming is still around. The Kingdom of God is in our midst. That's what church and discipleship is all about! The timing of the Second Coming is completely unknown. Some folks treat the bible like a racing form and think they have their "bets" covered. Jesus tells them there are no "odds." This is total uncertitude. That doesn't stop some folks from trying to lay odds on the event by calculations and predictions. The better approach is to concentrate on the presence of the Kingdom of God in our midst now. It is in our hearts and in all of the people and creation around us. We don't have to bet on it. It's a sure thing! AMEN