This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.

Mark 1:15

This passage is the theme for Jesus’ entire public ministry. In fact, virtually everything He did and taught was connected to this statement in some way.

During Jesus three-year public ministry, He proclaimed this message in all He did. He taught about what God’s Kingdom was like, sometimes directly and other times through stories called parables. He taught us how to live in God’s Kingdom by loving God above else and loving our neighbor as ourselves. He gave us the Beatitudes to be the Law of God’s Kingdom and to teach us how be fulfilled as sons and daughters of God. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and forgave sins as signs of God’s grace and power. He called Twelve Apostles to teach in a special way so that they could carry on His mission of salvation after He returned to the Father, and He gave them special powers to do as He did (forgive sins, heal the sick, cast out demons, and perform the Sacraments). And He taught that He is the Bread of Life, the true food of eternal life. We must receive Him in the Eucharist to receive and participate in our salvation and continually renew the New Covenant He established in His blood.