Reflections on the 3rd Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom

As part of my children's religious education, I rent a variety of DVDs from the fabulous Catholic online rental club, Pius Media.  The monthly membership fee is comparable to other online rental businesses, and they offer a huge selection of Catholic, patriotic and wholesome secular movies and documentaries.

I find that my children learn and retain more information when they can process it visually.  For example, when we were studying the Old Testament, I'd read a Bible story such as Abraham and Isaac, then we'd rent a DVD from Pius Media.  I'd pause the DVD occasionally to relate the film to the Bible reading and ask a few questions.  It was a very effective lesson.

The most recent DVD we rented was an animated film titled, "The Kingdom of Heaven."  It offered the perfect opportunity to help my children understand the Third Luminous Mystery, The Proclamation of the Kingdom.  I even find this mystery difficult to comprehend. 

The DVD used a series of Jesus' parables and the actions of a few spectators in the crowd to explain the Kingdom of Heaven.  The parables included the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4: 1-20, Matthew 13: 1-23, Luke 8: 1-15), the Parable of the Wheat and Tares/Weeds (Matthew 13: 24-30), the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13) and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13: 44-46).

After each parable was illustrated in the film, I paused the movie and asked my children if they could figure out what Jesus was trying to teach.  By the end of the 30-minute movie, they had a much better understanding of Jesus' parables on the Kingdom of Heaven.  (My children are 11 and 13, but younger children could easily understand this film.)

One very important point made in the film illustrates the hierarchy of the Church: 

"The disciples approached him and said, 'Why do you speak to them in parables?' He said to them in reply, 'Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.'"  (Matthew 13: 10-11)

We, the people in the crowd, need to rely on our Church leaders to help us to interpret and understand the teachings of Jesus.  We need to study the writings of the early Church Fathers, the successors of the Apostles.  We should participate in Bible studies (alone or in a group), read the Catechism and the writings of the Doctors of the Church.  Our efforts will be rewarded.

Of course, certain Scripture passages may speak to us in a personal way, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but as Catholics, we do not interpret the Bible ourselves.  Read this address by Pope Benedict to better understand why.

By learning more about the Kingdom of Heaven, we can help proclaim it on earth and attain it for eternity.