Jul 16, 2025 Written by 
Angolo dell'apripista

Hidden Kingdom

Hidden Kingdom

There is a recurring question in Pope Francis' meditations during Masses celebrated at Santa Marta, and it is an invitation to examine one's conscience: "How is my relationship with the Holy Spirit?" In his homily [...] the Pontiff repeated the question with a particular twist: "Do I truly believe that the Spirit makes the kingdom of God grow in me?"

The kingdom of God was in fact the theme of the reflection that took its cue from the passage from Luke's Gospel (17:20-25) in which the doctors of the law ask Jesus: "You preach the kingdom of God, but when will the kingdom of God come?" It is a question, the Pope explained, that also came from the "curiosity of many people," a "simple question that comes from a good heart, the heart of a disciple." It is no coincidence that it is a recurring request in the Gospel: for example, the Pope suggested, in that "very ugly, dark" moment when John the Baptist — who was in darkness in prison and "understood nothing, anguished" — sent his disciples to say to the Lord: "But tell us: are you the one, or should we wait for another? Has the kingdom of God come or is it someone else?'.

The doubt about 'when' often returns, as in the 'brazen, arrogant, evil question' of the thief: 'If you are the one, come down from the cross', which expresses the 'curiosity' about 'when the kingdom of God will come'.

Jesus' answer is: "But the kingdom of God is among you." Thus, for example, Francis recalled, "the kingdom of God was announced in the synagogue of Nazareth, that joyful announcement when Jesus reads that passage from Isaiah and ends by saying: 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'" A joyful and, above all, 'simple' proclamation. In fact, 'the kingdom of God grows in secret', so much so that Jesus himself explains it with the parable of the seed: 'no one knows how', but God makes it grow. It is a kingdom that 'grows from within, secretly or hidden like a gem or a treasure, but always in humility'.

Here the Pontiff inserted the key passage of his meditation: "Who gives growth to that seed, who makes it sprout? God, the Holy Spirit who is in us." This consideration explains the coming of the kingdom through the work of the Paraclete, who 'is a spirit of meekness, humility, obedience and simplicity'. And it is the Spirit, added the Pope, 'who makes the kingdom of God grow, not pastoral plans or great things...'.

It is, said Francis, a hidden action. The Spirit "makes it grow, and the time comes and the fruit appears." An action that escapes full understanding: "Who was it," asked the Pope, "who sowed the seed of the kingdom of God in the heart of the good thief? Perhaps his mother when she taught him to pray... Perhaps a rabbi when he explained the law to him...". What is certain is that even though he forgot it in his life, that hidden seed was made to grow at a certain point. All this happens because "the kingdom of God is always a surprise, a surprise that comes" because "it is a gift given by the Lord".

In his conversation with the doctors of the law, Jesus dwells on the characteristics of this silent action: "The kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to attract attention, and no one will say, 'Here it is, or there it is.'" In fact, the Pope added, 'the kingdom of God is not a spectacle' or even 'a carnival'. It does not show itself 'with arrogance, with pride, it does not like publicity', but 'it is humble, hidden, and thus it grows'.

A striking example comes from Mary. When people looked at her following Jesus, they hardly recognised her ("Ah, that's his mother..."). She was "the holiest woman," but since she was "hidden," no one understood "the mystery of the kingdom of God, the holiness of the kingdom of God." And so, "when she was near her son's cross, people said: 'Poor woman, with such a criminal for a son, poor woman...'". No one understood, "no one knew".

The characteristic of concealment, the Pope explained, comes precisely from the Holy Spirit who is 'within us': it is he 'who makes the seed grow, makes it sprout until it bears fruit'. And we are all called to follow this path: 'it is a vocation, it is a grace, it is a gift, it is free, it cannot be bought, it is a grace that God gives us'.

That is why, the Pope concluded, it is good that "all of us who are baptised" and "have the Holy Spirit within us" ask ourselves: "How is my relationship with the Holy Spirit, the one who makes the kingdom of God grow in me?" We need to understand: "Do I truly believe that the kingdom of God is among us, hidden, or do I prefer spectacle?" We must, he added, pray to "the Spirit who is in us" to ask for the grace "to make the seed of God's kingdom sprout in us and in the Church with strength, so that it may grow, give shelter to many people and bear fruits of holiness."

[Pope Francis, St. Martha, in L'Osservatore Romano, 17/11/2017]

109 Last modified on Wednesday, 16 July 2025 04:22
Rate this item
(0 votes)
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Latest from don Giuseppe Nespeca

Previous
« United with Him in a new way
Next
Compostelan Year: let us go out of ourselves to open ourselves to others »
back to top
Isn’t the family just what the world needs? Doesn’t it need the love of father and mother, the love between parents and children, between husband and wife? Don’t we need love for life, the joy of life? (Pope Benedict)
Non ha forse il mondo bisogno proprio della famiglia? Non ha forse bisogno dell’amore paterno e materno, dell’amore tra genitori e figli, tra uomo e donna? Non abbiamo noi bisogno dell’amore della vita, bisogno della gioia di vivere? (Papa Benedetto)
Thus in communion with Christ, in a faith that creates charity, the entire Law is fulfilled. We become just by entering into communion with Christ who is Love (Pope Benedict)
Così nella comunione con Cristo, nella fede che crea la carità, tutta la Legge è realizzata. Diventiamo giusti entrando in comunione con Cristo che è l'amore (Papa Benedetto)
From a human point of view, he thinks that there should be distance between the sinner and the Holy One. In truth, his very condition as a sinner requires that the Lord not distance Himself from him, in the same way that a doctor cannot distance himself from those who are sick (Pope Francis))
Da un punto di vista umano, pensa che ci debba essere distanza tra il peccatore e il Santo. In verità, proprio la sua condizione di peccatore richiede che il Signore non si allontani da lui, allo stesso modo in cui un medico non può allontanarsi da chi è malato (Papa Francesco)
The life of the Church in the Third Millennium will certainly not be lacking in new and surprising manifestations of "the feminine genius" (Pope John Paul II)
Il futuro della Chiesa nel terzo millennio non mancherà certo di registrare nuove e mirabili manifestazioni del « genio femminile » (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
And it is not enough that you belong to the Son of God, but you must be in him, as the members are in their head. All that is in you must be incorporated into him and from him receive life and guidance (Jean Eudes)
E non basta che tu appartenga al Figlio di Dio, ma devi essere in lui, come le membra sono nel loro capo. Tutto ciò che è in te deve essere incorporato in lui e da lui ricevere vita e guida (Giovanni Eudes)
This transition from the 'old' to the 'new' characterises the entire teaching of the 'Prophet' of Nazareth [John Paul II]
Questo passaggio dal “vecchio” al “nuovo” caratterizza l’intero insegnamento del “Profeta” di Nazaret [Giovanni Paolo II]
The Lord does not intend to give a lesson on etiquette or on the hierarchy of the different authorities […] A deeper meaning of this parable also makes us think of the position of the human being in relation to God. The "lowest place" can in fact represent the condition of humanity (Pope Benedict)
Il Signore non intende dare una lezione sul galateo, né sulla gerarchia tra le diverse autorità […] Questa parabola, in un significato più profondo, fa anche pensare alla posizione dell’uomo in rapporto a Dio. L’"ultimo posto" può infatti rappresentare la condizione dell’umanità (Papa Benedetto)
We see this great figure, this force in the Passion, in resistance to the powerful. We wonder: what gave birth to this life, to this interiority so strong, so upright, so consistent, spent so totally for God in preparing the way for Jesus? The answer is simple: it was born from the relationship with God (Pope Benedict)

Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 1 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 2 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 3 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 4 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 5 Dialogo e Solstizio I fiammiferi di Maria

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741


Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.