Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
I think that people today (including Christians) do not think much about what it means to be holy. If you did a survey, I believe that many individuals would say that holy people only exist in the Bible and in the saints from ages past. And yet today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us that each of us is holy, since we are a “temple of God.” If we allow Christ to be our foundation, and the Holy Spirit the architect and builder, then we can become a dwelling place for God to live. And if God is alive within us, then we are holy indeed.
In today’s reading St. Paul tells us that we “are God’s building.” What does that mean? Being God’s building reminds us that God created us- we are His. But St. Paul explains further when he says, “no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely Jesus Christ.” For a building to remain standing in the midst of wind, floods, and the forces of nature, it must have a solid and sturdy foundation. This holds true for us as Christians as well. Without Christ as our center and support, we will be tossed and torn apart by the challenges and trials of daily living. God completes His handiwork by sending us His Spirit which St. Paul tells us “dwells in you.” We allow God to build us into His temple by being open to the work of His Spirit in our lives. We are not holy because of who we are but because who dwells within us.
Jesus refers to Himself as a temple as well. In John’s gospel, Jesus says that He will “destroy the temple and in three days I will raise it up.” John tells us that Jesus was not referring to the physical building in Jerusalem but Jesus was “speaking about the temple of his Body” which would be raised from the dead. Jesus is completely open to the Father’s love and the work of the Spirit in His life, and therefore He is the perfect temple. He shows us how we are called to live the same way. Jesus total gift of self is given once and for all to reveal the perfect love of God. There is no longer a need for the Temple building to continue to offer animal sacrifice, since Jesus becomes the perfect offering through His passion, death and resurrection when He gives Himself completely. As disciples of Jesus we are called to surrender in obedience to God. If we can follow Jesus in giving of ourselves to God and others in love, then we will also become a “temple of God”.
How can we be a “temple of God”? To be a strong building we must begin by having Christ as our foundation. To know Him through prayer, scripture and sacrament allows Jesus to be the center where we live our lives. If we believe that Jesus is in us, with us and works through us then we allow His presence to be the cornerstone for our building. The Holy Spirit uses the bricks of love, joy, courage, wisdom, compassion and mercy to complete the building. It is in the tiniest daily acts of self-giving and love that we allow God to shine forth from us so others can get a glimpse of the holiness within.
Because we are temples of God, I believe that we are called to care for our bodies, minds and souls with love and concern. Making healthy choices for our body, filling our minds with what is true and pure, and feeding our souls with what opens us up to God’s love are ways that we show respect to God who dwells within us. Not only does this affect how we should treat ourselves, but every other person we encounter is a “temple of God” and therefore is deserving of respect and love. I can only imagine what the world would be like if every person alive lived from this perspective!
Although not all people are open and aware of this mindset, as disciples of Christ we are called to live out this daily by the ways we think, talk, and act. Although we may not think of being “holy” people, when we welcome God into our lives and allow Him to live through us, then we become living “temples of God” building His Kingdom here on earth.
"Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus who shows us how to be open to Your love and to be obedient to Your will. May Your Spirit fill us and use us so we can be your temple. May our lives be holy as we imitate Your Son, and in all things give you glory and praise. We pray this through Christ, our LORD. Amen."
- Marylynn Herchline