as Criteria for Discernment
In Jesus’ teachings, we find discourses, sayings, and parables. They are a compass for us as Christians, and especially as Regnum Christi members. They show the path and the direction for making our decisions. Living the Gospel message of the Kingdom of God lets us make the Kingdom present: by incorporating it into our lives, that Kingdom continues to have a presence in and an effect on the world today. In this essay, we will focus on the parables of the Kingdom as criteria for discerning our Christian and apostolic lifestyle in light of the proclamation of the Kingdom. While it is true that the central proclamation of the Kingdom is contained in Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5-7) and Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” (Lk 6:20-49), the parables of the Kingdom themselves are key to understanding whether we are living our life and mission according to the demands of the Kingdom that Jesus himself proclaimed and lived.