Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty." (4 Thomas)

If we look within ourselves - if we can come to know ourselves truly and fully - we will understand how we are in profound relationship with God.

We have long known the Kingdom of God is within (see Luke 17:20-21). Most of us, however, seem reluctant to cultivate this knowledge.

It is as if our true self is an old friend who we go out of the way to avoid; a friend who reminds us or challenges us in ways that we find disturbing.

Thomas also has Jesus tell us that if we fully engage the outside world - nature and neighbors - there too we can find the reign of God.

We should seek to know and not stop seeking until we find our true relationships. It is in those relationships tht we will find ourselves and God.