God's own people

It’s been a little over 6 years ago that my family and I were privileged to travel to Italy, but it still seems like yesterday.  One of the highlights of that trip for me was our visits to the 4 “Major Basilicas” in Rome:  St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, Saint Paul Outside the Wall, and St John Lateran.  Each church has its own beauty and characteristic and place in Catholic tradition and culture.  And each has a ‘feast’ day in the Catholic calendar when we celebrate those traditions and culture.  November 9^th is the day we recognize St. John Lateran.

 St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) presides.  In a sense, it’s the parish church of all Catholics, because it’s the Pope's parish.  Humans build with stone and timber and the Church of St. John Lateran is an impressive example.  But my reflection today is on God’s “building” which is on a much more fundamental level.  And in my opinion, far surpasses the beauty, dignity and splendor of any human structure.  From the fine-tuned orchestration of the replication of DNA to the vastness of the galaxies, God has created life.  God’s Spirit is the source of that life and of its unity.

We humans have a special place; we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9).  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “‘All humans are called to belong to the new People of God’ so that, in Christ, they ‘may form one family and one People of God’.  The Holy Spirit establishes the community of believers as The Body of Christ.  In the unity of this Body, there’s a diversity of members and functions, yet all members are linked to one another.  The body's unity is actually dependent on the diversity of its members. It cannot manage efficiently without each individual part being healthy and functional.  The Spirit is the soul of the Mystical Body, the source of its life, of its unity in diversity, and of the richness of its gifts and charisms. The unity of the Mystical Body triumphs over all human divisions: ‘For there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus’” (Gal 3:27-28) (CCC 787-810).

The Psalms talk of “the temple of God,” “the city of God” and “the holy dwelling of the Most High” (Psalm 46:2-9).  Saint Paul tells the Corinthians (and us), “You are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9-17). We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. “God is in [our] midst” flowing like water, giving all creatures life, food and medicine (Psalm 46).  Christ is our foundation, the solid ground that gives us support and heals our human failings, divisions and weaknesses.  The scriptures sculpt and shape us.  “Nevertheless, we do not make a house for the Lord until we are fitted together through love" (St. Augustine).

Paul says we’re holy.  Holiness doesn’t depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort or achievement.  It’s entirely God’s creation and gift.  Only God can create divine life in human beings, and God wills to do so, for all of us.  We’re a growing dynamic community of saints, those in heaven as well as the unfinished saints who still live on earth.  We’re the dwelling place of God, individually as a temple of God, communally as a city of God.  We’re each very different from one another, but if we remain united through the Law of Love we make present the kingdom of God on earth.