The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

Our Lord said, "My kingdom is not of this world".

Christ's kingdom is not of this world but it is in this world. Christ's kingdom is not from here (this world) but is from Heaven. He has come to establish His kingdom here on earth. This is a new kingdom unlike any that the world has produced before. This kingdom is often at odds with the kingdoms of this world.

What is foolishness in the eyes of the world turns out to be wisdom in the kingdom of God. And that which is considered wisdom in the eyes of the world is foolishness in the kingdom of God.

This kingdom is from Heaven and teaches the ways of God. And this kingdom of God is present here on earth in the true Catholic Church, where the ways of God are taught and held up as the ideal for our imitation.

In St. Francis' Peace prayer we see the variance between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God.

In the kingdoms of this world we exchange hatred for hatred, but in the kingdom of God we are taught that where there is hatred, we are to sow love.

In the kingdoms of this world where there is injury we are told to strike back and return injury for injury, but in the kingdom of God we are taught that where there is injury we are to return pardon.

Where there is despair we must return hope.

Where there is darkness we must return light.

Where there is sadness we must return joy.

Christ's kingdom is from Heaven and He has brought it to earth and established it as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It is the duty of every member of this Church to carry this Kingdom to the rest of the World.

God is not content with only ruling in the hearts, minds, and wills of His people, He also wishes to rule over all societies, nations, and peoples.

All of creation is awaiting the coming of these sons of God _ true Catholics _ true members of the Kingdom of God. We have been given a wonderful grace in the Catholic Faith, but sadly the majority of those who have received this treasure have abandoned it and turned to the ways of the world and the kingdom of Satan.

The ideal would be for the kingdom of God to spread throughout the world and incorporate all nations and all peoples. Sadly this is not the situation. The kingdom of this world (Satan's kingdom) is the one that is growing. Men are losing all Faith, Hope, and Charity. Secularism is no longer on the ascendancy, but is now the predominate attitude of the world today.

There is now a universal blindness spread over people's minds. This blindness is the punishment of a prevailing libertinism, of a want of piety, of a dangerous curiosity, and of a foolish presumption. God chastises men by leaving them to themselves, and He deprives them of His light, which they either reject or abuse. He suffers them to plunge into a worse darkness than that of ancient idolatry. Human malice is greater in these days than it ever has been; the corruption has taken deeper root; and the forgetfulness or contempt of principles more universally prevails.

The kingdom of God appears to have failed but, appearances are often very false. Though the kingdom of the world appears to have the ascendancy, the kingdom of God is not yet dead, and it will last until the end of time _ even if there is only one true member left.

When Christ returns there will be a general resurrection followed by the General Judgment. The damned will be cast into the depths of Hell. The earth will be renewed and the Kingdom of God will be eternally established not only in Heaven but even here on earth.

The original plan that started with the Garden of Paradise and was to expand to the rest of the earth will be accomplished when Christ returns. Until that day comes, the true members of the Catholic Church — the Kingdom of Christ — will have to suffer because they are at odds with the kingdom of the world (Satan). But, their joy when they are in the eternal paradise of the Kingdom of God will be, many times over, sufficient compensation for all they may have suffered from the kingdom of Satan.

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