Justice in the kingdom of God

Romans 14:17-19 The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and wins the esteem of men. Let us, then, make it our aim to work for peace and to strengthen one another. 

Thoughts: In this passage I think of eating or drinking as symbolizing the things of this world. While in this world we must eat and drink to nourish our earthly bodies. But the kingdom of God, which we get glimpses of in this life, is about the bread that truly feeds and nourishes us, Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus feeds us a peace and joy that is beyond the realities of this world. This peace and joy will lead to a greater sense of justice and call us to action for the sake of Christ. When we truly do things for the sake of Christ, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do amazing things. As we say during mass, “It is right and just” that we work for peace and strengthen each other through sharing our struggles and our successes. Lending an ear to ‘hear the cry of the poor’ will lead us to action to bring justice to this world. Peace comes from knowing that we are living in the loving care of God our Creator with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.