Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

0:00 In the light of the liturgy this weekend, 0:03 I would like us to look at the simple meaning 0:06 of the Kingdom of God in our life, 0:08 especially in our family and marriage life. 0:15 In the Gospel itself, 0:17 Jesus himself spoke about the Kingdom of God about 126 times. 0:23 Jesus often explained the kingdom of God in many different places, 0:27 stories and parables. 0:31 He tried to help his disciples and the Jews understand clearly 0:36 how the Kingdom of God could be understood 0:39 and experienced in very concrete situations of life. 0:46 The Gospel of Mark says, 0:48 The Kingdom of God is God Himself. 0:52 The Kingdom of God is love itself. 0:55 In other words the Kingdom of God is God’s very gift to us, 1:00 to all humanity. 1:02 It is through God’s gift that we are allowed to love, 1:06 and understand, 1:08 and communicate with God Himself. 1:13 In the light of the readings today, 1:15 our question is very simple. 1:18 “How do we experience the gift of the kingdom of God, 1:21 in our married and family life? 1:26 When Jesus was tested 1:29 by some Pharisees about the issue of separation 1:33 in the marriage under the Law of Moses, 1:37 Jesus immediately referred them to the book of Genesis. 1:44 “In the beginning of creation, 1:46 God has given us a perfect gift of God himself, 1:50 when Adam and Eve were created 1:53 in the very image and likeness of God. 1:56 He created them as a husband and wife, 1:59 who became one body, to equally love one another, 2:03 to express the very gift of God, which is love itself”. 2:10 The second part of the Gospel this weekend is 2:14 a perfect example of the Kingdom of God, 2:18 as a pure gift. 2:20 When people were bringing little children to Jesus, he said 2:24 “Amen, amen, I say to you, 2:27 unless you accept the Kingdom of God like these little children, 2:33 you will never know what the Kingdom of God really is.” 2:39 Because the Kingdom of God is the gift of God, 2:44 it is not something that we earn. 2:47 It is the gift of God. 2:49 Just as love in a marriage is a gift of God, 2:52 the life of a marriage is also a gift of God. 2:56 It is a given, 2:57 because God loves us. 2:59 So, let us always 3:01 and everywhere give thanks to God for his great love for us. 3:07 Pope Francis once said, 3:09 “The ability to genuinely love others is 3:13 not based on our own efforts or goodness. 3:16 It is being only and always a gift from God. 3:20 So let love be sincere. 3:24 We are called to love, to charity. 3:27 This is our highest calling, our vocation for excellence. 3:32 Charity however, is the first and foremost, 3:36 a grace, a gift, 3:39 to love is a gift of God. 3:41 He gives it willingly, if we ask for it”. 3:46 For sure, there are always some challenges in life, 3:49 in family, in marriage. 3:51 We are invited to don’t easily give up. 3:54 Let us ask God the source of love, 3:57 to strengthen our love for one another. 4:01 As we are in the beginning of October, 4:04 let us ask the Holy Family, 4:06 especially Mary mother of Christ, 4:09 to pray for us, 4:11 to pray for our family 4:13 and to pray for our children. 4:16 Thank you.