I am a longtime fan of the Babylon Bee, which writes “satire about Christian stuff, political stuff, and everyday life,” I was more than amused by a recent headline that read, “Uh Oh: Saint Peter Starts Asking Everyone at Pearly Gates to List Five Ways They Advanced God’s Kingdom on Earth.”
Babylon Bee articles always make me chuckle, and I sometimes even laugh out loud. But they also make me think.
And while this recent Babylon Bee article is satire, I think its theme is something we should take seriously as we embark upon the Lenten season. When we die, we will have to give God an accounting of our lives. What will we tell Him? Will we be embarrassed or ashamed of our actions? Will we be proud of them?
As Lent is a time of reflection, now is the perfect time to ask ourselves this very question: Can I list five ways that I have advanced God’s kingdom on earth?
So, since St. Peter has fictitiously asked us to list five ways, let’s use five of his actual quotes as a guide to help us examine our lives and determine ways that we can advance God’s kingdom on earth so that, at the end of our lives, we will have many more than just five things on our list.
1. “Love one another intensely from a [pure] heart.” – 1 Peter 1:22
Love can involve feelings, but it is an act of the will; it means seeking and desiring what is best for the other person. That includes everyone around us—the sick, the elderly, the preborn, and the people we don’t particularly like. Love is not just reserved for our friends and family. Furthermore, love takes sacrifice. If we are going to love intensely with a pure heart, we must show that love by giving of ourselves, by walking with others through their suffering, by spending time with others, by giving our time to those who need it, and by truly listening when people need a friend.
2. “Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander.” – 1 Peter 2:1
This may seem like a tall order to some, as ridding ourselves of these vices can be incredibly difficult. But think of a life riddled with these sins. It’s the very opposite of the love St. Peter was talking about above. When we allow ourselves to be overcome with lies and hatred, we give the devil a firm foothold on not just our lives but also our bodies. We allow him to help guide our words and actions.
By doing so, we push God further away. So, if we truly want to advance the kingdom of God, we will do our best to act as Christ would and to treat others with the respect and dignity they deserve as children of God.
3. “Give honor to all, love the community.” – 1 Peter 2:17
What does it mean to love our community? Remember that love requires action, so loving our community means taking action to help others in need. We can’t simply stay inside our homes and never give of ourselves. God asks us to think often about what others need and to perform the Corporal Works of Mercy, such as volunteering, helping an elderly neighbor, visiting the sick, or donating items to a shelter.
These acts of love shine the light of Christ while building His kingdom.
4. “All of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.” – 1 Peter 3:8
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the Golden Rule—to do unto others as we would have done to us. Many in our society seem to have forgotten this rule, as compassion and sympathy are in short supply today. The anonymity of social media has allowed people to say vile things to others, not caring about the damage it does. We must use our words to build others up, not tear them down.
We must use our words to speak the truth about our faith and God’s love and mercy. This is how we truly love others.
5. “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” – 1 Peter 4:9
If, when we do something for others, we do it with a complaint on our lips or in our hearts, we aren’t truly doing this service out of love. It takes effort and practice, but we must learn to joyfully give of ourselves and our time. Think about a time when you were sick or injured and how someone cared for you. Their treatment likely made a huge difference in your mental health and in your recovery process. Mother Teresa used to say that she saw the face of God in all the people she cared for. Let us use her example and look for God in everyone around us, especially those who need our help. When we do so, we will have one more item to add to our list.
Lent is a time to examine our behaviors and to make positive changes—changes that should last longer than these six weeks and that should serve those around us. Our Lord gave the ultimate sacrifice—Himself—and in a truly horrifying way. His agony and His death were pure gifts to us so that we can spend eternity with Him.
Let us heed St. Peter’s words and take action now to build God’s kingdom on earth, so that, when the day comes, we will be welcomed into God’s eternal kingdom.
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Excellent daily reflection especially during the Lenten season, as well as for all seasons.
The author (a Bee) overlooks the foundation of St Peter’s love for others that St Peter first loved Jesus in accordance with the Greatest Commandment which provided the natural Order of Love. Once the foundation of St Peter’s love is established they balance of his loves fall neatly into place. Without that foundation not so much nor so readily.