[…] What is the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus did not go out of his way to explain it. He pronounced it from the very start of his Gospel: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”; — even today it is nearby, among us — however he never lets us see it directly, but always by reflection, recounting the act of a master, of a king, of 10 virgins…. He prefers to leave it open to interpretation, with parables and similes, manifesting above all the effects: the Kingdom of Heaven can change the world, like yeast hidden in dough; it is small and humble like a mustard seed, which however will become tall like a tree. The two parables on which we reflect help us understand that the Kingdom of God is present in the very person of Jesus. He is the hidden treasure, He is the pearl of great value. One understands the joy of the farmer and the merchant: they had found Him! It is the joy we each have when we discover the closeness and the presence of Jesus in our life. A presence which transforms our existence and makes us open to the needs of our brothers and sisters; a presence which prompts us to welcome every other presence, even that of the foreigner and the immigrant. His is a welcoming presence, and a joyous presence, his is a fruitful presence: in this way the Kingdom of God is inside us.[…]
