When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." (Luke 22: 14-18)

The Passover - the great feast of redemption - is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. The Passover is pleroo - abounds, filled to the brim, put into effect - in the reign of God.

Passover recalls the oppression, enslavement, emancipation, betrayals, struggles, discoveries, shared journey, and unearned abundance of the Exodus story.

The kingdom of God is not always - or even often - sweet ease. The kingdom of God is a lifetime or more of unfolding effort to know and do what God intends.

Above is the Last Supper from the Church of San Giorgio, Venice.

He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21: 29-31)

These things include false prophets, nation fighting nation, earthquake, famine, and pestilence, persecution of the faithful, betrayal by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, Jerusalem surrounded by armies, great distress, signs in the heavens, anguish and perplexity. (Luke 21:5-28)

When have there not been false prophets? When have the nations not battled? Has there ever been a time without earthquake, famine, pestilence, or any other of these signs?

The kingdom of God is near in times of trouble. The kingdom of God is always near. In the generation after Jesus, during the lifetime of his followers, the stones of the temple were thrown down. All the predictions were fulfilled. It is left to us to accept and experience the fulfillment.

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.' (Luke 19:11-13)

The people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. Because of this expectation, Luke explains, Jesus offers a parable. The story is a version of the more often told parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

The people expected the kingdom of God to arrive in the form of a great king who would restore Israel to glory. Jesus tells of a king who is appointed, is hated, and does not remain to reign.

In the midst of this coming and going the king gives three servants money they are to put to work while he is gone. (The Greek for "put to work" is pragmateuomai which is to engage in practical work of any sort.)

As in Matthew, two of the servants do their pragmatic best and are rewarded. The third buries the money out of fear.

We have each been given resources: physical, intellectual, financial, and spiritual. Our task is not to hoard or hide these resources until the king returns. Rather, in the absence of the king we are to put our resources to work.

It is precisely in our most pragmatic choices that we advance the kingdom of God... or not.

It may even be that through our pragmatic choices we can experience the kingdom of God today. 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.' (Luke 19:26)

Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." (Luke 18:28-30)

The English sounds like a trade-off or even a trade-up.

The Greek is lambano pollaplasion. Lambano can mean receive, but take or seize is a more typical meaning.

Pollaplasion is a challenge to translate in this context. It is a multiple and multiplicity. Not just more, but but more diverse.

But more and more variation of what? Of family relationships? All relationships? Abundant all-in-all?

We are promised an ability to choose - even to seize - very much more.

Above is the centerpiece of a triptych by Hieronymous Bosch entitled Garden of Earthly Delights.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:22-25)

The encounter of Jesus with the rich young man is repeated in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and here. The similarity of construction here and in other verses, including his embrace of the little children, have caused some scholars to argue that Matthew and Luke are each derived from Mark.

Other scholars, noting that Matthew and Luke share many similarities not found in Mark, have suggested a missing Q Gospel (from the German Quelle or source). While the existence of Q is widely accepted no physical evidence has ever been confirmed.

In any case, there are important relationships. We understand each gospel better in considering all gospels. We improve our understanding of the gospels by considering their relationship with historical, cultural, and literary context. Mostly, we experience the good news by finding and making relationships between these ancient words and our daily life.

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Luke 18:15-17)

The King James version of the Bible translates the Greek as "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."

The meaning of suffer has changed since 1611 but otherwise this is a more accurate translation of the original Greek than the contemporary translation shown above.

The Greek translated as belongs is eimi which can mean to become, to exist, to happen, or to be present. But to belong is a stretch.

When I read "belong" I think of something external that is under the authority of the owner. The Greek suggests something internal to the children that defines their fundamental nature.

For the little children the kingdom of God is present, as it is present for us all. The little children accept, receive, recognize this reality.

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21)

The Pharisees ask about time. It is not a matter of time Jesus explains.

Nor is it a matter of space, it is neither here nor there.

The kingdom of God is entos Jesus is quoted as saying. It is inside, within, among you.

Plato quotes Socrates discussing the entos anthropos - the inner man - as the only meaningful reality. In the Republic Socrates insists virtue originates on the inside (entos).

The reign of God is already here, already given - it is fundamental to our being - but we may accept or reject, enable or disable, fulfill or neglect.

Above is an icon depicting the sacred heart of Jesus.