"Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10).

This prayer joins what is said in Psalm 2, where it says : "Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for an inheritance, the ends of the earth for possession" (Psalm 2.8).

We are told that one of the prayers of the son (in whom we see the person of Christ) is to ask the nations for an inheritance (verse 8). If he is asked to ask the nations for inheritance, what should we do ? Nothing but what he does. That is, to ask that the reign of the Messiah come upon all nations. The book of the apocalypse ends with this prayer of the Church : "Amen, Come Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). In other words, the church's prayer is to ask that Christ come to establish His reign of righteousness, peace over all nations.

It is the ultimate prospect, the culmination of our hope: that the kingdom of God be established over all the nations of this world. Now we know that it is with the return of the Lord that this kingdom will be established! So to ask God : "Thy kingdom come ..." is to desire the return of the Lord. It is not only the desire but also the act of hastening its return, as the Apostle Peter reminds us : "... you wait and hasten the advent of the day of God" (2 Peter 3:12).

How can we hasten this advent ? Certainly by praying, but by accompanying our prayer with a testimony of the Gospel to all nations. It is not enough to pray for the nations but to go to the nations, announce the Good News of Jesus Christ dead for our sins, resurrected for our justification, returned to the Father where he intercedes for us, His own and establish his Kingdom. Thus, the church sighs after the coming of this glorious reign, not only in prayer, but also in testifying in such a way as to hasten this advent.

To say : "Thy kingdom come ..." is to ask the King to come :

In my heart, that my life may be a reflection of His glory.

- In the life of those around me, that they may know him that is dead and risen for them.

In this world, to establish his reign over all nations, according to the prophetic promises, as the prophecy of Isaiah 11: 1-10.

My prayer on this day :

Lord, with all who await your return, I say on this day : "Come Lord Jesus." May the testimony of the church to the nations help to hasten this advent. Amen !

Paul Calzada