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The readings today hint both that the kingdom is not yet here and the kingdom is here! On the one hand, Job and Paul give us a bleak version of reality, one filled with weakness, suffering and exhaustion. On the other hand, we have Jesus, in whom heaven and earth come together.
Jesus knows what it is like for us: what it is to be human, and how demanding people can be. He sees the hurt, pain and suffering we endure. We have the Incarnate Jesus: he brings healing and hope to all humanity. He comes to us, sharing in our humanity and offers healing, friendship and joy – all avenues to transform our suffering into blessings.
There is a crucial line in Mark’s Gospel that tells us how we can do this: “In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place and there he prayed.” No audience or crowds: Jesus alone in the dark in prayer with the Father.
We gather around the table of the Lord, where past and present meet, to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist. Let us quiet ourselves to be with the One who sees us, understands us, heals us and sends us forth, to bring the kingdom wherever we are needed.