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ROSEMARY'S
OFFERING...
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What is the kingdom of God really like?  I am reminded of these questions of the Lukan community in the first century CE as I read the daily readings this week. It is an ageless question and I thought to ponder it with you today. basileia tou qeou is often translated as 'Kingdom of God' yet 'reign of God' would be my preference and that of many scholars as it indicates more of the active meaning of the metaphors that Luke suggests. Luke 13:18 compares the reign of God to a mustard seed and the yeast in bread:
The reign of God is an activity in the here and now. And the reign of God is a relational activity of human beings with things of the earth. It is an active engagement in God's creativity, it is an active engagement of God with us. The images that Luke uses are ones that are relevant to his audience. They are everyday images. God's reign is in our everyday and ordinary life. So what does this mean today? I think that these images have a lot to say to us in our particular context today. Global warming and ecological issues are daily news items. It has been made very clear that we, the people of the earth can not continue to live as we do. We have already abused our environment. Urgent change, wholesale change is essential. 'Ten years to save our planet!' Speaking right into this moment, Denis Edwards has launched his book Ecology at the Heart of Faith: the change of heart that leads to a new way of living on earth. He places our faith at the heart of the issue: For those who belong to the Christian community, ultimate meaning is found in the idea that God is with us in Jesus of Nazareth and in the Holy Spirit. This means that the fundamental task of a Christian ecological theology is to show the inner relationship between faith in Jesus of Nazareth and ecological commitment. [1] So what of the images? The one sowing the mustard seed shows the engagement of humanity with the environment. From this little seed grows a tree that is the home for birds. The reign of God is in our relationship with our earth and all the creatures of the earth. The woman mixing the yeast with the flour shows the engagement of humanity with the fruits of the earth for our sustenance and the sustenance of other creatures. As a wisdom teacher, Jesus speaks of God and God's reign in parables and proverbial sayings. He is a gifted parabler, communicating the deepest things of God in stories and images from the natural world and from the cultural world of human communities. His images come from the whole of life: the beauty of the wildflowers, the growth of trees from tiny seeds, crops of grain, bread rising, a woman sweeping a floor looking for what was lost, children playing games, the relationship between a shepherd and the sheep, the birds of the air, foxes and their lairs, rain falling, and the generosity of a parent to a wayward child. [2] The images of Luke are part of a fabric of images that reveal God to
us: a God who cares for us and for all creation. Particularly in Luke's
images it is good to notice the human engagement with the earth, with
creation, in the reign of God. No metaphor of God is able to fully describe God or God's reign yet it is a way for us to begin to understand God's revelation to us.  What images might we use today? Rosemary
What are your thoughts on Rosemary's reflection? Rosemary can be contacted at: rosemary@catholica.com.au ©2006 Rosemary Canavan |
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He
said therefore, "What is the reign of God like? And to what should
I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in
the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests
in its branches." And again he said, "To what should I compare
the reign of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with
three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
Rosemary
Canavan lives in Adelaide. Her qualifications include a Bachelor
of Arts major in Psychology and two Bachelors degrees in Theology, the
most recent an Honours degree in New Testament studies. She has two adult
children.