Where do we look? When will it come? We all tend to aim for the goal instead of the journey itself, but spiritually speaking, how we get there is where we arrive. The journey determines the final destination. If we manipulate our way, we end up with a manipulated, self-made god. If we allow ourselves to be drawn and chosen by love, we might just end up with the real God. But we are all looking for quick methods and techniques to “get God” almost as if God could be an ego possession, a personal trophy. Farther on in this same Gospel, both the Pharisees and the disciples ask Jesus, “When and where will the kingdom come?” (Luke 17:20-22). Jesus says, “The kingdom of God does not admit of observation. Don’t believe those who say Lo Here, Lo There.” In other words, it is not going to be easily and obviously localized like those who are looking for an answer man in the desert. Jesus warns people they will be disappointed because they are looking for the wrong thing by looking for the whole thing right now.
—from the book Preparing for Christmas: Daily Meditations for Advent
by Richard Rohr
