My Kingdom is not of this World
‘The Somali government says it will begin evacuating the survivors of two boats, carrying mostly Somali migrants, which capsized off the coast of Madagascar Saturday. Twenty-four passengers were killed while 46 others survived. The passengers were attempting to migrate in search of a better life, away from Somalia’s chronic drought, violence and food insecurity.’
‘Today, there are over 258 million migrants around the world living outside their country of birth. This figure is expected to grow for a number of reasons including population growth, increasing connectivity, trade, rising inequality, demographic imbalances and climate change.’
As I read the above news yesterday, I thought of Jesus’ statement to Pilate in this week’s Gospel John 18: 33-37 ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.’
I thought of the many who do not belong to kingdoms of this world, the migrants, who criss-cross the world looking for a kingdom to call their own (2-year-old migrant crosses border alone looking for parents in US).
They search for a safe haven—a place to live, thrive, and be recognized as human—yet they are met with barriers, hostility, and indifference. Their journey mirrors a deeper spiritual longing for a place where they are not just tolerated but truly welcomed, a glimpse of the kingdom Jesus is building.
In their struggle, I see an invitation to us all: to become co-creators of Jesus’ kingdom, where the dignity of every person is upheld, and no one is left wandering without a place to call home.
I recognize this is a complex issue, but so is building Jesus’ kingdom. It requires us to grapple with difficult questions, confront our own biases, and move beyond comfort to action. Building this kingdom means extending compassion, advocating for justice, and offering tangible support to those in need.
It challenges us to see migrants not as outsiders or burdens but as brothers and sisters, fellow travelers on this earthly pilgrimage. As we work to create a world that reflects the values of Jesus' kingdom, we are reminded that every act of welcome, every barrier dismantled, and every heart opened is a step closer to the vision He entrusted to us.
Jesus’ words ‘ If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting’ tell us of a kingdom of non-violence - a kingdom where love, mercy, and peace reign supreme. It is not built through force or domination but through self-giving, forgiveness, and the radical inclusion of all people. As we reflect on the plight of migrants and others searching for a place to belong, we are called to embody this kingdom in our actions and attitudes.
Let us be servants of Jesus’ vision, creating spaces of welcome, hope, and healing in a world that so desperately needs them. In doing so, we testify to the truth of Christ's reign, a kingdom not of this world but already breaking into it through our love and faithfulness.
Well said, Andre. Well said.
So well said Deacon I love your sense of justice.
So often we see injustices on social media or through our computer screens and our reaction is often to turn it off get it out of our sight and go back to our regular sheltered Netflix life.
But there is a contemplative approach to facing injustices that involves love, compassion and the simple realization that we are all, on this earth, “created by God, redeemed by Jesus, temples of the Holy Spirit” as John Main would say.
Rather than making us passive, this realization could then move us to take action to alleviate injustices in our immediate surroundings.