Today's gospel ends with the promise of God making his dwelling with us.
While I would be the first to talk about the importance of church and community, there are also times when we need to remind ourselves that we need not go to a church building, or look for some beautiful locale, or light candles or any if these things to be close to God. From the moment of our baptism we became that dwelling place of God.
As I sit writing this I am in the parish office, listening to the roofers outside putting a new roof on the garage(metal and wood being cut, nails being hammered). The pastor is at a one of his 5 parish council meetings.(And we American priest think we have it rough) There is nothing particularly spiritual about it. Yet I can close my eyes and not simply imagine but know that God is in fact here with me.
It does of course raise the question in what kind of condition is God's dwelling place. When the house is new like my three year old god son, it doesn't take a whole lot of maintenance, but for the rest of, like any old house, there's always something that needs fixing. But as any homeowner knows it's easier if you stay on top it and fix the problems while they're small. A house can't take care of itself.
God had giving us the great gift of letting us be his dwelling, the least we can do is keep the house as nice as possible.
