What purposes does a Cathedral, a Church or a house of God serve?
Even if it is empty, like many of the churches in Europe or most churches on weekdays are, their erection signifies the presence of God in this region. It quietly bears witness to the human participation in salvation. Its main structure points upwards, reminding people that our final resting place is up there.
If there are people regularly gathering in it, a church provides a meeting place for the redeemed to share, to celebrate and to work together to build up the invisible Kingdom of Heaven in the region. In the words of St. Peter,
Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious;
and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5).
St. Peter was speaking in liturgical language: a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, spiritual sacrifices etc. Put simply, Jesus Christ is the foundation stone of our faith. Upon this foundation stone, believers should work together to build up a spiritual house, the church. It is not just the hardware, the church buildings St. Peter had in mind. He was thinking of the church as a community of the redeemed.
Even if it is empty, like many of the churches in Europe or most churches on weekdays are, their erection signifies the presence of God in this region. It quietly bears witness to the human participation in salvation. Its main structure points upwards, reminding people that our final resting place is up there.
If there are people regularly gathering in it, a church provides a meeting place for the redeemed to share, to celebrate and to work together to build up the invisible Kingdom of Heaven in the region. In the words of St. Peter,
Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious;
and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5).
St. Peter was speaking in liturgical language: a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, spiritual sacrifices etc. Put simply, Jesus Christ is the foundation stone of our faith. Upon this foundation stone, believers should work together to build up a spiritual house, the church. It is not just the hardware, the church buildings St. Peter had in mind. He was thinking of the church as a community of the redeemed.
What prevents people from coming to Jesus, that living stone?
The sharing by the nun at the feast of Immaculate Conception illustrates the mercy of our Lord. In fact, Jesus patiently waits for us to come to him. He does not force us to call on His name for help. Nor does He drag us in to impose His will on us. He respects our free will to accept His mercy. He has done whatever he should have done. Therefore, it is the abuse of our own freedom that prevents us from coming to Jesus. The apostles experienced first-hand how Jesus was rejected by the Jewish authority. The Jewish authority depicted in the gospels had abused their freedom. Jesus had previously demonstrated his identity as the Son of God through many miracles and teaching. However, the Jewish authority rejected him for their personal advantages. This is very much a response most representative of most of the people in the world. However, they have to pay a high price for rejecting Jesus. Jesus came to bring us an abundant life, a life of fully developed potentials. Rejecting Jesus, the Jewish authority had denied their opportunity to grow, to develop.
The sharing by the nun at the feast of Immaculate Conception illustrates the mercy of our Lord. In fact, Jesus patiently waits for us to come to him. He does not force us to call on His name for help. Nor does He drag us in to impose His will on us. He respects our free will to accept His mercy. He has done whatever he should have done. Therefore, it is the abuse of our own freedom that prevents us from coming to Jesus. The apostles experienced first-hand how Jesus was rejected by the Jewish authority. The Jewish authority depicted in the gospels had abused their freedom. Jesus had previously demonstrated his identity as the Son of God through many miracles and teaching. However, the Jewish authority rejected him for their personal advantages. This is very much a response most representative of most of the people in the world. However, they have to pay a high price for rejecting Jesus. Jesus came to bring us an abundant life, a life of fully developed potentials. Rejecting Jesus, the Jewish authority had denied their opportunity to grow, to develop.
Christians are the New Israel.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and established the Sinai Covenant with them, He wanted them to be a holy nation.
Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine,
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6a).
The Sinai Covenant proved to be a failure. The Israelites had forgotten their God and Liberator. In the end, the Israelites and Jews were conquered and exiled. On the other hand, God did not give up. Whatever He had spoken, He would surely execute. St. Peter saw the Church as the New Israel. Christians would inherit this birth-right first.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
Being a Christian carries within himself a treasure with certain obligations. The concept of the Kingdom of Heaven summons us to lead a life of holiness as well as ministry. We are living stones not just to build up the Church. We must declare the wonderful deeds of His, our Creator who wants to make us royal priests, make us see the light of the day.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and established the Sinai Covenant with them, He wanted them to be a holy nation.
Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine,
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6a).
The Sinai Covenant proved to be a failure. The Israelites had forgotten their God and Liberator. In the end, the Israelites and Jews were conquered and exiled. On the other hand, God did not give up. Whatever He had spoken, He would surely execute. St. Peter saw the Church as the New Israel. Christians would inherit this birth-right first.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
Being a Christian carries within himself a treasure with certain obligations. The concept of the Kingdom of Heaven summons us to lead a life of holiness as well as ministry. We are living stones not just to build up the Church. We must declare the wonderful deeds of His, our Creator who wants to make us royal priests, make us see the light of the day.
Dear Lord, may we love Your Church, which is our mother, with a cheerful heart. In her time of prosperity, let us continue to contribute. In her time of troubles, let us not desert her. Amen.
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