A. 2 - Thy Kingdom Come

Thy Kingdom Come

The Holy Spirit makes us love, desire, and pray rightly. (Parallel text: SCG IV.50.) He effects in us, first of all, a fear whereby we ask that the name of God be sanctified. He gives us another gift, that of piety. This is proper piety, a devout and loving affection for our Father and for all men who are in trouble. Now, since God is our Father, we ought not only reverence and fear him, but also have towards him a sweet and pious affection. This love makes us pray that the kingdom of God may come: we should live soberly and justly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God (Titus 2:12–13)**.

It may be asked of us why, since the kingdom of God always was, do we then ask that it may come? (Parallel texts: ST I-II.69.3, ad 3; II-II.83.9, ad 3; 121.1, 2; In III Sent. 34.1.4 and 6; In III Sent. 34.3.2, qa. 1; Commentary on Matthew, ch. 5.) This, however, can be understood in three ways. First, a king sometimes has only the right to a kingdom or dominion, and yet his rule has not been declared because the men in his kingdom are not as yet subject to him. His rule or dominion will come only when the men of his kingdom are his subjects. Now, God is by his very essence and nature the Lord of all things; and Christ being God and man is the Lord over all things: and he gave him power and glory and a kingdom (Dan 7:14). It is, therefore, necessary that all things be subject to him. This is not yet the case, but will be so at the end of the world: for he must reign, until he has put all his enemies under his feet (1 Cor 15:25). Hence it is for this that we pray when we say: thy kingdom come.

In so doing we pray for a threefold purpose: that the just may be strengthened, that sinners may be punished, and that death may be destroyed. Now, the reason is that men are subject to Christ in two ways, either willingly or unwillingly. Again, the will of God is so efficacious that it must be fully complied with; and God does wish that all things be subject to Christ. Hence, two things are necessary: either man will do the will of God by subjecting himself to his commands, as do the just; or God shall exert his will and punish those who are sinners and his enemies; and this will take place at the end of the world: until I make your enemies your footstool (Ps 110 [109]:1)**.

It is enjoined upon the faithful to pray that the kingdom of God may come, namely, that they subject themselves completely to him. But this is a terrible thing for sinners, because for them to ask the coming of God’s kingdom is nothing else than to ask that out of God’s will they be subjected to punishment: woe to them that desire the day of the Lord! (Amos 5:18). By this prayer, too, we ask that death be destroyed. Since Christ is life, death cannot exist in his kingdom, because death is the opposite of life: and the enemy, death, shall be destroyed last (1 Cor 15:26). And this shall take place at the last resurrection: who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory (Phil 3:21).

Second, the kingdom of heaven signifies the glory of paradise. Nor is this to be wondered at, for a kingdom is nothing other than a government. That will be the best government where nothing is found contrary to the will of the governor. Now, the will of God is the very salvation of men, for he wills that all men should be saved; and this especially shall come to pass in paradise where there will be nothing contrary to man’s salvation. They shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals (Matt 13:41)**. In this world, however, there are many things contrary to the salvation of men. Hence, when we pray, thy kingdom come, we pray that we might participate in the heavenly kingdom and in the glory of paradise.

This kingdom is to be greatly desired for three reasons. The first is because of the perfect justice that obtains there: your people shall be all just (Isa 60:21)**. In this world the bad are mingled with the good, but in heaven there will be no wicked and no sinners.

The second is because of its perfect liberty. Here there is no liberty, although all men naturally desire it; but above there will be perfect liberty without any form of oppression: because the creature also shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption (Rom 8:21). Not only will men then be free, but indeed they will all be kings: and you have made us to our God a kingdom (Rev 5:10). This is because all shall be of one will with God, and God shall will what the saints will, and the saints shall will whatsoever God wills. Hence, in the will of God shall their will be done. All, therefore, shall reign, because the will of all shall be done, and the Lord shall be their crown: in that day, the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory and a garland of joy to the residue of his people (Isa 28:5)**.

The third is because of the marvelous riches of heaven: the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared for them that wait for you (Isa 64:4). And also: who satisfies your desire with good things (Ps 103 [102]:5).

Note that man will find everything that he seeks for in this world more excellently and more perfectly in God alone. Thus, if it is pleasure you seek, then in God you will find the highest pleasure; if it is riches, there you will find it in abundance, on account of whom riches exist; and so for all other things: when the soul strays from you, she looks for things apart from you, but she finds all things impure and useless until she returns to you, says Augustine. (Augustine, Confessions, bk. 2, ch. 6, para. 14 (PL 32:681).)

Third, thy kingdom come is understood in another sense because sometimes sin reigns in this world. This occurs when man is so disposed that he follows at once the enticement of sin. Let not sin reign in your mortal body (Rom 6:12), but let God reign in your heart: Zion, your God shall reign (Isa 52:7)**. And this will be when you are prepared to obey God and keep all his commandments. Therefore, when we pray to God that his kingdom may come, we pray that God and not sin may reign in us.

May we through this petition arrive at that happiness of which the Lord speaks: blessed are the meek (Matt 5:4). Now, according to what we have first explained above, namely, that man desires that God be the Lord of all things, then let him not avenge injuries that are done him, but let him leave that for the Lord. If you avenge yourself, you do not really desire that the kingdom of God may come. According to our second explanation, if you await the coming of this kingdom which is the glory of paradise, you need not worry about losing earthly things.

Likewise, if according to the third explanation, you pray that God may reign within you, then you must be humble, for he is himself most humble: learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart (Matt 11:29). You took with joy the being stripped of your own goods (Heb 10:34).