The kingdom of humankind
The Prophetic Over the Pragmatic. As I have previously described in this column, a prophetic leader is ahead of his times. “He morally and spiritually discerns what needs to be done for the common and greater good of his fellowmen, according to God’s designs. He commits himself as courageous social advocate of love, justice and peace, even at the risk of his own life — for that is what life is for.” Consequently, such a leader is resisted, opposed, or persecuted by the current holders of self-serving powers. Thus, if you want to be a real follower of the prophetic Christ, do not expect to be applauded by the followers of the anti-Christ. You and I are called to be prophetic leaders in our homes, workworld, community, everywhere.
Persons Are More Important Than Possessions. “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (v. 19). Fishers of men. Not fishers of more and more wealth, more and more materials possessions, more and more worldly goods. This does not mean that the business and industrial world should not maximize their efforts in developing our country’s resources. By all God-inspired means — let us maximize these — using just, fair, and huma-nitarian means. Let us maximize them, but for the sake of all, especially our poor and marginalized fellow human beings, and not just for our pockets and high-tech lifestyles.
The kingdom of heaven here on earth is nothing more and nothing less than a kingdom of sharing. The sharing of money and what money can buy. The sharing of power and everything else in our human lives. For instance, the wages and salaries of our poor workers and employees need substancial increases for such to really be a “family living wage.” In other words, a salary that is adequate for each family to live a decent, human life. Every member of every family is a human person, created in the image of God not an animal that just needs to physically survive! As of today, so many of our fellow-Filipinos simply survive or can hardly survive from day to day.
The prophetic Christ is angrily addressing this inhuman situation to the super-rich, the rich, the upper-and-middle-class sectors of our society. That means you and me. If we are true followers of Christ, then we are called and missioned to be fishers of men in word and action, in our life and lifestyle, in our family life, work life, and community life. Now. Today. And all our tomorrows.
Each one of us can be a prophetic leader in our own personal way, until a societal tipping-point can come about — the beginning of the kingdom of heaven here on earth. And the spiritual breakthrough toward this kingdom of humankind is for each one of us to embrace the total disposition of spiritual detachment, spiritual indifference, affective freedom.
Affective Freedom. This means that we commit ourselves to a prayerful life of on-going discernment, continually listening to God’s will rather than our own. In our deepest faith, we know that the will of the ever-loving and compassionate God is for our inner peace and happiness. So if He whispers to us to go forward, let us go forward. If He asks us to go to the left, right, or backward, let us listen and respond in action. For we know deep in our hearts that in life, God is the only absolute. Everything else is relative. A personal commitment to this reality is the centerpoint of spiritual detachment, of affective freedom. Not freedom of the ego, but freedom from the ego, as the spiritual writer Albert Nolan describes it.
Such was the life and teaching of the human Christ, who now looks into our eyes with love and forgiveness as He whispers anew: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
How can we say “No” to such an invitation? Yes, Lord. Here we are. Make us your instruments in building Your kingdom of humankind, Your kingdom of heaven here on earth. Amen.
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