Seeing the Kingdom Through New Eyes
We never come to sacred text as a blank slate. Each reading is shaped by the eyes that see, the lives we’ve lived, the land we’ve walked, and the struggles we’ve carried. The stories we find in Scripture reflect not only divine wisdom but also the deep imprint of our culture, class, geography, and community. The question is not only what Scripture says—but how we are listening, and from where.
The meaning of sacred teachings is not fixed—it is shaped by the perspective of the reader. People in contexts of poverty, oppression, or marginalization may hear in Scripture a direct invitation to solidarity, justice, and love in action. The Beatitudes are not passive blessings; they name a way of being that subverts dominant systems and points toward a society marked by love, equity, and shared humanity.
In the voices of the campesinos from the Solentiname Islands, we hear a living theology: the kingdom of God is not an abstract afterlife but a present reality shaped by love, justice, and economic sharing. The poor are not simply recipients of compassion—they are the active participants in creating the new world. This “kingdom” is a radical alternative to economic systems of exploitation. To take the teachings seriously is to confront our relationship with wealth, power, and the call to shared responsibility.
Affirmation
Love that is lived becomes the kingdom. I open myself to truth, however it comes, and commit to living it with sincerity.
Spiritual Practice
Begin by sitting in stillness and grounding your body. Let your breath be steady, unforced. Sense the place you’re sitting, the history and culture that shaped you, the privileges or hardships you carry. Acknowledge the lens you bring to sacred reading.
Now, call to mind one teaching or passage from Scripture that you’ve heard often. Ask inwardly: What might someone living with less security or privilege hear in this passage? What truths might I have overlooked? Without judging, listen within.
Let this practice deepen into silence. Rather than seeking answers, allow space for the inner shifting that occurs when truth rises from unexpected voices. Sense your body in the stillness. Let the silence hold the weight of new awareness. Trust that the seeds of compassion and action are being planted here.
Guiding Questions (Journaling Prompts)
What assumptions or cultural perspectives do I bring to sacred text?
How do I respond when someone reads the same passage differently than I do?
In what ways might I be invited to align with those whose voices are often left out?
What does “the kingdom of God” mean to me in practical, daily terms?
How do I show love—not just in feeling, but in sharing and action?
Action Step
Choose one tangible way to align with the kingdom of love described in this reflection. It may be a donation, a conversation with someone whose perspective challenges you, or a change in your economic practice. Let it be grounded in sincerity, not performance—rooted in a desire to build a more just and loving community.
Closing Invitation
Let your love become visible. Let it show not only in word or intention, but in the choices you make. Let Scripture speak to you through the voices of the poor, the silenced, the ones who read with different eyes. Let their wisdom shape your transformation.