The Kingdom is near

The meme was relatively benign

Robert Reich on gas prices and corporate profits

But somehow it drew a cousin

Out of the deep woods of Facebook

 

“You are a fool”

“You can’t trust Joe”

“They (whomever they are) all lie”

 

“Wake up” (O sleepy head)

“Wake up, because it’s coming!!!!”

 

Just wait – it’s coming!

 

What is coming?

I often hear that from people

Wrapped up fundamentalist Christianity

In QAnon

In right-wing politics

 

It’s coming

 

What’s coming

The “foul beast that slouches toward Bethlehem”?

The violent end of the world?

The judgment, where the God of love will gleefully send

most of humanity to eternal torment?

The day of reckoning for the “libs”

violently orchestrated by the righteous right?

 

I often wonder where it comes from

This need to threaten and intimidate

This need to use fear

As a motivation

 

For what?

Change?

Obedience?

Compliance?

 

Be afraid!

Of God

Be afraid

Of death

Be afraid

Of Hell

Be afraid

Of socialism and its “evils”

Be afraid

 

How does this line up with the angels,

Who over and over again says “fear not”

 

Or Jesus, who also said “fear not”

 

Fear not!

Why?

Because God is love

Because God welcomes and accepts

Because the Kingdom is near

Because God is present every moment in the Comforter and Advocate (the Spirit)

 

Fear not!

Because we are empowered to do good works

 

Fear not

Because we not only have God

We have each other

 

Jesus on his last night here on earth

Prayed for us (yes us)

He prayed that we may be one, completely one (John 17:20-23)

That we might have the same unity as the Trinity

That we might be bound together as we participate together in the divine

 

Jesus not only gave us himself

He gave us each other

 

So do not fear

 

Just wait!

It’s coming

Love is on the way!

The Kingdom of Heaven is near!