|
Dedication of St. John the Baptist in Lateran Gardens: Nov. 8, 2014
God's Dwelling
Judaism, then Christianity, takes the question of “sacred space” seriously. There is a place where we believe God lives. This notion of “sacred space” gave rise to the tradition of pilgrimage in Western religions; the believer traveled to location he held was holy. These, holy places are secondary, however. The true place of divine dwelling was within the community, a social network where people can grow in their relationship with God.
WEEKLY BLOG LINK How do the political left and right think in this country?
NEW!!! VIDEOCAST!!! In this videocast series connecting the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the weekly gospel reading, we consider the parable of the Ten Virgins and how we are to wait for the Second Coming. (Please note: the link for this videocast is to my YouTube page.)
MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we discuss the divine presence in Judaism and Christianity. Where do we find God present? This question of “sacred place” has been asked as long as humanity has experienced God.
FIRST READING The vision of Ezekiel spoke of divine abundance in a desert environment. That abundance was water, a torrent of water refreshing hostile environs. But, the focus of his vision was the source of that abundance, the divine presence in the Temple. PSALM Psalm 46 was a liturgical hymn of confident faith, even in tough times. Despite the presence of enemies, God was the “refuge and strength” of the nation.
SECOND READING In his first letter to Corinthians, St. Paul addressed the question of divine presence. He employed the language of temple building, but described more than a building. He described the Body of Christ.
GOSPEL In John 2, Jesus cleansed the Temple of merchants and money changers. He saw commerce on holy ground as polluting influence that insulted the presence of God in the Temple. When he was confronted about his actions, he responded, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” This was a reference to his body. Christians hold the physical body of Christ is the place of the divine presence. We encounter God in relation to his Body.
CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Coach Hughes built a structure with bricks, then challenged his team to pull out the unneeded brick. Soon, so many bricks were missing that the structure collapsed. The lesson was simple. Like every brick in the structure, every person on the team is important. As it is for the team, so it is with the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church. Every member is important. In the story for the gospel, Denise faced up to a bully on the school grounds. She did something bold because it was the right thing to do. Jesus faced up the Temple leaders when he cleansed the Temple of merchants. This, too, was the right thing to do.
FAMILY ACTIVITY The story of St. John the Baptist cathedral in Lateran Gardens at Rome is interesting. You can share its history with older members of your family. But, the young members need something more immediate and tangible. This might be a good time to take a tour of your local parish church. Such a tour can be a teachable moment about the People of God, the Church.
|
