Imagine a land of pure delight.
Imagine a kingdom shining through and through with glory.
Imagine a place abounding in joy and laughter where each
cared for all and all for each.
Imagine a country with no fear and the only tears those of
joy unbounded and gladness unalloyed.
Imagine joy and glory and love in that country flowing
between its citizens and their Ruler who is source of beauty and joy and love
and glory and so gives to whom he wills.
Imagine the enthusiasm of that Ruler of the glorious Kingdom
to welcome other beings into the sharing of endless laughter and mutual
encouragement, into glorious light and peace beyond understanding.
Then imagine this ruler becoming mindful of planet earth of
the solar system and of beings there capable of becoming citizens of the
glorious kingdom.
Imagine that he came to us. He came from the glory. He came from the glorious kingdom.
I can imagine such a kingdom and such a King. I see hints of
glory in the sky at dusk and dawn. I see bold red colouration reflected in the
clouds and at times, as the setting sun hides them, an incredible brightness,
an incredible shining and I see this sight as a glimpse of something far more
glorious, a reflection of Someone far more wonderful.
I can sense in the smile of a believer something that
transcends, I mean something that goes right beyond this world.
In particular as I visit people in enormous pain and yet with
shining faces I look beyond them and see the glorious kingdom in my mind’s eye.
I imagine that land of pure delight I’ve been speaking of and its Ruler.
I imagine – but,
then, suppose my very imagination were the inspiration of that distant Ruler?
Suppose more than that.
Suppose the Ruler of the glorious Kingdom, so mindful of the
earth and billions of souls eligible for his fullest blessing, had come in Person to open up a way from
this world into that glorious Kingdom?
Suppose, because
his nature were love, there was no question of forcing people into his Land but
He were to set before us a choice.
Suppose the only way He could make human beings capable of
glory was to win and enter their hearts so his indestructible life could be in
them for ever? And that whether his life
entered a soul was for that person to choose?
Suppose that were true – that the King of the heavenly
country had come, had chosen to bring his own glorious life and join it to
ours? Or join it to those who would receive him?
Suppose He came! Suppose He
came from the glorious Kingdom. Oh yes, believer, He came from the glory.
Suppose He
came - that the Word became flesh. God became man.
The Virgin
Mary had a baby boy, the glorious King pitched his tent on earth in a
human family – Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family?
Suppose the Prince of the heavenly Kingdom has come and his
invitation is before me. Suppose I have chosen to invite him into my life?
Then I am not imagining that country of pure delight.
I am destined for it. I have my
citizenship.
Suppose the King of Heaven has come and opened his kingdom to
mere mortals?
Then I have
everything in the world to look forwards to, everything in this world and in the world
to come!
Why? Because if
He is indeed the King of glory, his possibilities go beyond my imagining.
In my imagination I can’t see a future for this mortal body
beyond an earthly grave.
But if the Son
of God brings his reality, his life, his
power, his joy, his possibilities into the world and into my life I’m drawn
by a love quite beyond what I can imagine.
Then, if He
should choose to renew his life in me through the Bread which is his body –
Christ Mass – So be it. I will not argue any more.
He came
from the glory. He came from the glorious Kingdom.
The King who came to Palestine is coming now in Bread and
Wine – that you and I may be raised beyond our fondest imaginings to his
glorious Kingdom. So be it. Amen.
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