Thoughts on the return of Jesus

 Preparing for the Kingdom of God (Mark 1, 21-28)

 

John the Baptist’s preaching and baptizing was a puzzle and an enigma for the Jewish religious and political leaders of his time. John's teaching or preaching was very attractive to many of his listeners. The manner of living to which he was calling people was certainly in record with their understanding of the law. But what more precisely did he mean by the kingdom of God and who was to be the leader of this kingdom? But if he was not promoting his own role in leading the kingdom, who was this person?

 

Herod for a brief period resolved this problem when he imprisoned John. But as if out of nowhere, (and for many to be from Nazareth was to be from out of nowhere) comes Jesus comes with a proclamation very similar to that of John, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel. Mark 1, 15. 

 

Nazareth was a very small village, (est. 250 to 500 people) in the hill country of Galilee. Most of its residents were subsistent farmers. Joseph and Jesus, as the wood craftsmen, provided their tools and implements. Jesus would live and work this way for approximately 30 years. In such a small village he and his family were well known, accepted neighbors.

 

And so it was probably to the amazement of everyone that Jesus leaves Nazareth and goes to be with John the Baptist. There at the river Jordan he is baptized by John. And it seems for a period of time he joined John’s disciples in their ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

But then Jesus leaves John and goes off for a period of time by himself. Afterwards, he returns also preaching about the kingdom and he gradually begins to gathers his own disciples. Jesus, like John was not promoting himself, nor inciting political or civil unrest. He wanted a kingdom that promoted the common good, the respect and well-being of all, the rich and poor, Jew and eventually even Gentile. It was most strikingly to be a Kingdom of justice, mercy and forgiveness, for all, including sinners, tax collectors, Roman, Samaritans, and so on.

It was when it became known that Jesus was also performing miracles of bodily and spiritual healing his popularity and notoriety grew exponentially. Now everywhere that he and his disciples visited there were larger and larger crowds.

 

It was at this point that Jesus and his disciples decide to go to Caparnaum. This small town is about 50 miles from Nazareth, so the people in both places knew each other, some probably relatives. You can well imagine the excitement, anticipation and interest this aroused. As Sunday's Gospel indicates Jesus did not disappoint them. His preaching was very clear and convincing. Then at the conclusion he cures a person with a very serious physical affliction.

 

You might ask yourself how did these friends, acquaintances and relatives of Jesus prepare for his return? What do they want to find out, or what might they have wanted from him? You might consider how you now should prepare for meeting him, or what you might seek from him?

 

Jim Blumeyer, S.J.