There is endless speculation about the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world. Yet we often forget a profound truth: we ourselves are the leading edge of Christ’s return into Creation. We are the ones called to continue Christ’s mission — not only to proclaim that the kingdom of God is near, but to help build it. Our task is nothing less than fostering the peaceful coexistence of all Creation. Christianity is not primarily about escaping to heaven; it is about bringing the life of heaven into the world. We are the instruments God uses on this earth.
For Catholics, this identity can feel especially tangible because of our frequent celebration of the Eucharist. In that liturgy, we name ourselves the Body of Christ. In our Emmaus community, this becomes even more explicit when the whole assembly joins in the words Jesus spoke at his final meal: “Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my body, which will be given up for you.” When the entire community speaks these words, they begin to sink into the deepest parts of us. We recognize that we are joining Jesus in offering ourselves. We, too, are becoming bread that is blessed, broken, and given for others. Through the Spirit, we are being transformed into a life‑giving presence for the world.
Bread is a powerful symbol across cultures — nourishment, community, spirituality, abundance. It is called the “staff of life” for a reason. Sharing bread builds relationships and sustains communities. When we become bread for the world, we take on that same work: nurturing others, fostering justice, and building communities of peace and love.
In Chapter Two I wrote: “It is disturbing to realize there is something satisfying for some Christians in imagining other people being thrown into hell for all eternity… What a terrible thirst for violence and vengeance this lust for hell reveals… This eagerness for hell shows how distant some Christians are from God, and from God’s ways.”
In a time when we are witnessing so many atrocities, it is easy to feel that same temptation — to want the “bad guys” to suffer. I feel it myself. But I must continually remind myself that even those who commit evil are still God’s children, and God loves them. Darn it. What God desires is repentance, not destruction. Our prayers must be for conversion, not condemnation.
I also wrote: “The kingdom of God is at hand, already present in our world… Christ became incarnate not merely to be worshipped, but as the firstborn of a new and ongoing Creation… Christ comes to reveal what God is like, to show us what God is doing, and then to say: follow me, and we will change the world.”
So how do we discern what God is doing now? We look for the helpers, the nurturers, the community builders, the peacemakers. We look for those who act with justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Today we see many who stand with the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized — people who take to the streets to protest cruelty and brutality. They remind us of who we are meant to be.
Let us cry out to God: “See what your children are doing to one another! Come and correct them, for they are killing each other. Come, O God, Loving Parent, and stop your children from abusing one another.”
When we remember that even the wicked belong to God, it becomes just a little easier to resist hatred and the desire to see anyone cast into hell. We are commanded to love one another as God loves us — and God loves all of us, even when we misbehave. Yet God also allows us to experience the consequences of our actions. We reap what we sow.
Loving God, shape our hearts to reflect your own.
Teach us to seek justice without vengeance,
to love without exception,
and to become bread for a world in need.
Strengthen us to follow Christ’s way of peace
so that all Creation may be renewed in your love.
Amen.
Bishop Kedda
Bishop Kedda 