Creation Glorifies God

Homily for Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in ordinary Time

What are some of the wonderful things that you have seen in your lifetime? Perhaps you have seen a marvelous vista such as I saw as I stood at the western most point of the continent of Europe and looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps you have witnessed the marvel of the birth of a new child. Maybe you have looked out the window and seen a powerful storm or blizzard. Sights such as these can be truly astounding. They demonstrate the beauty, complexity, and wonder of creation.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says: “The Kingdom of God cannot be observed.” Nobody can point to it and say it’s right here, or it is over there, “for behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”

St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon provides an example of what this means. While most people would define Onesimus by his social status as a slave, St. Paul sees something deeper. He sees Onesimus as a beloved brother, as the living presence of Christ on earth. The whole Christian experience can be summed up in this lesson, in the ability to see ourselves, others, and the world around us as God’s creation – as God’s goodness manifested in all of creation. All of creation glorifies God by simply being what it is.

The miraculous things that we have seen are evidence of a loving God made real in our world. So, too, are the sites found in our everyday experience: a beautiful bird, a blooming flower, and every human being we encounter. The Kingdom of God is among us. God is present within each one of us. God dwells with us.