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For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.
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Here is a vision water-lovers can especially enjoy. The prophet Ezekiel is describing a stream that flows from the temple of the Lord. His vision is so detailed that we can follow the river from the door of the temple into the Dead Sea. There it washes away the salt and gives life to abundant fish. Fruit trees grow on the banks and give food every month. All of this thriving life comes from the water that flows from the temple.
Ezekiel's vision speaks to us of God's presence in our midst. His love sustains us as the stream from the temple gives life to what was once dead.
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Today is the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. A basilica is a church with special historical importance. The Lateran Basilica in Rome is the cathedral church of the pope. It is the "mother church" of all the Catholic churches in the world.
What basilicas, cathedrals, or other large churches have you visited? How do these churches help you to be aware of God's presence? How do you think you would feel about participating in the liturgy at the Lateran Basilica? Why? What particular characteristics of your parish church do you find most appealing? Where is the life-giving water available in your church?
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We all know that a family is far more important than the house it lives in. Sometimes we forget that it is not the church building that is the actual Church. The building is only the place where the people gather. Saint Paul reminds us today that we are the temples of God. The Spirit of God is housed in us. We are the temple that has been founded on Jesus Christ himself. The People of God are the Church. When we gather for prayer or worship in the church building, we are together God's holy temple. We are called to treat each other with love and respect as "building blocks" of the same temple.
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What do you think of when you hear the word "church"? Why is it important to remember that the church building is not the Church? If your parish church was destroyed in a natural disaster, would you and your parish family still be the temple of God? Why or why not?
In what ways can you show that you recognize the holiness of the human temple when you participate in the liturgy? How can you show that you recognize that you are a temple of God?
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Jesus deeply loved the temple in Jerusalem. The temple might be compared to the Lateran Basilica in Rome. It was the central house of worship for the Jewish people. Jesus called it "my Father's house" and he drove the money changers out of it. Then he revealed that the true temple was his own body. He himself was the temple that would be destroyed and raised up again in three days.
At first the disciples did not understand this teaching. They still focused on the physical building in Jerusalem as the temple. But after Jesus' resurrection, they saw the truth as we do today.
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Look back at the first half of the gospel story about Jesus in the temple. Oxen, sheep and doves were animals offered as sacrifices. The Roman coins in common use had to be exchanged for Jewish coins to be used to pay the temple tax. Who were the people who aroused Jesus' anger? Why do you think Jesus drove these people out of the temple? What explanation did the disciples give themselves for Jesus' astounding actions? If you had been among them, what might your reaction have been?
In the second half of the story, what does Jesus say to those who question his authority in the temple? Why do you think even his disciples did not understand what the true temple was? What connection do you see between this gospel story and the second reading from Saint Paul?
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| Proclaiming Faith Activity |
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Living the Sunday and Holy Day Readings
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With your partner or group, use the Internet or library resources to discover more about the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Photographs of the basilica are available on: www.roma2000.com and www.italycyberguide.com. Write a Jeopardy-style answer (in the form of a question) for each of the following responses.
1) The Laterani Family _____________________________________
2) The emperor who gave the Lateran Palace to the pope _____________________________
3) The date when the Lateran Basilica was first dedicated _____________________________
4) The two saints to whom the Lateran is dedicated _____________________________
5) The city and country in which the Lateran is located _______________________________
Share your questions with your class and your family.
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Each of today's readings speaks of a temple. Here is a summary:
Reading 1: God's presence is like a temple from which a life-giving river flows.
Reading 2: We are the temple God built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Gospel: The body of Jesus himself is the temple that has been raised.
Choose one of these temples to sketch or draw. If you choose, outline your temple in words taken from the reading. Share and display your completed sketch. |
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