Pope Francis CIA and ‘Death Squads’

Jesus perhaps around the year 70 and it was written in a community that was
undergoing persecution. By the year 70, it was 30 years since Jesus proclaimed
the coming of the reign or rule of God, but instead of change had come
persecution and fear.
What did Jesus mean by announcing the coming of the rule or reign of God and
making it the center of his message and ministry in the first place? Jesus was
speaking of what the social order would be like if God ruled. His message was
one with political implications even though it was primarily religious. He was
speaking to people, most of whom were impoverished and oppressed in many ways.
We recall that Palestine was a colony of the Roman Empire and taxes of various
types were high. There were also temple taxes. Small landowners had lost their
properties because of debt and they had become day laborers for wealthy
landowners or vineyard owners who often cheated them of their wages and almost
always underpaid them. Along with impoverished workers there were bands of
robbers and beggars. Many people were sick and undernourished.
In such a situation to announce a new social order was welcome news, good news,
to the poor and they flocked to Jesus who healed them and often fed them with
bread and fish, the food of the poor. Naturally, this activity was disturbing
to the wealthy and powerful and they considered Jesus a rabble- rouser and a
subversive who had to be got rid of.
Now, it’s 30 years later and the new social order promised by Jesus is not yet a
reality, and the Jesus portrayed by Mark tells parables counseling patience and
reminding the people that seed has to die in the soil before producing fruit.
The Jesus of Mark’s Gospel promotes trust in effect saying that God is in charge
and the reign of God promised by Jesus is already a reality even if not yet
fulfilled or evident. Like Paul the people are invited to walk by faith not by
sight. There is an already and a not yet, what has already been accomplished in
an undefeatable way but is not yet fully manifest, if it can be found at all in
evidence.
The same remains true in our own place and time. Christian teaching on the
dignity and equality of all persons helped to spark the anti-slavery movement
and also helped to lead to the civil rights movement of the 1960’s which
achieved and is still achieving far-reaching social change.
Like Mark’s hearers, we also live in that in-between time and we also experience
conflict and could be tempted to question where is the reign of God to be found.
It is meant to extend to the whole social order. The Church is the sacrament of
the kingdom but is not identified with it.