Have you ever attended a magic show? The larger than life settings, opulence and sound effects all add to the ‘Ahhh!’ moment when the magic trick reaches its conclusion. They also serve to distract and mislead the mind to make us believe that the illusion is real. And we fall into the trap.

Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God as being neither mythical nor illusionary. Though we cannot see it, it is real and exists among us. It is the seed of love which God sows in each heart, which we must nurture to fruition with His help. Jesus warns that we should not be distracted by impostors who, like magicians, will misdirect us (‘look here, look there’). If we are to know the real signs that accompany the coming of the kingdom, we must look within. Then, we will realise that, with God’s help, we contribute to bringing about this kingdom!

In the first reading, Paul invites Philemon to look within and find in himself the potential to love a former slave, Onesimus, who Paul now returns to him, asking Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother and equal. This is how the Kingdom of God becomes a reality in the here and now – a kingdom of love.