The Servant’s Word
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On this second Sunday after the Feast of the Exaltation of Glorious Cross we are in a certain way provoked with another rather challenging Gospel passage. Today’s Gospel depicts the sad state of the world that we live in and we often wonder why there is so much despair and misery. It speaks of wars, famine, earthquakes, torture, hatred and death, false prophets and betrayal, lawlessness and loss of love. It is a rather pessimistic picture! If we look around us, not much has changed. We are still challenged with the same issues, however in a different context. The biggest challenge to us as Christians today is our identity. Society is using our God created identity to tell us that we no longer need to worry about this if we “feel” that our identity is something different. The whole debate about gender theory which we are being threatened with is what society is using to eliminate God. When we start playing with the gifts that our creator has given us, we start playing the role of God. Unfortunately, these “false prophets” are leading “many astray”.
So it would seem that Jesus has every right to declare that not one stone will be left upon another in the Temple? Is this because he wishes to harm? Or it is in his nature to destroy? Or is it because he has another purpose, to build a live Temple in which He lives and frees humanity; returning it to its roots and its freewill, its happiness and its victory over its evil ways, so that it can begin anew in a journey that activates the joy and care of God? The Temple with Jesus is no longer made of stone, rather it is a heart that pumps love, peace and self-giving.
For this reason we see Jesus advising us to go beyond our limited humanity and all the passions and barriers that it entails. Humanity should strive to express its abilities and talents for the good work that reflects the presence of God, His favour and richness. Because the Lord requires a lively Temple rather than a stone one, full of security and tranquillity, victory and fertility, vigil and care, to actuate the fruits of His holiness, its purity and liveliness. No longer is the stone Temple the ultimate goal for God to dwell with us. It is no longer the place that gathers and unites humanity. However, Jesus has transformed it to a lively place that he will live in and in it he will be the eternally living sacrifice that is offered for the redemption of humanity and its return to the port of salvation, so that it can truly be the place in which God dwells and through it reflect His abilities, His greatness and His richness. Let us be vigilant in combating all the attempts to eliminate God from our lives.
Blessings from Lebanon, Father Tony Sarkis
