The Temple is a central symbol in the religious and social life of the Israelite people. The Temple was the visible sign of the presence and faithfulness of Yahweh. The first temple was built by Solomon. And because it was of such great importance, he had it adorned with gold, silver and the finest of stones. It was however destroyed by the Babylonians when they conquered Judah, the Southern Kingdom and exiled the Israelites in Babylon for a long and difficult period. When the good king, Cyrus of Persia ruled, he released the Israelites, had them return to their land, and ordered that the temple be rebuilt. Darius, who replaced Cyrus as king of Persia pursued the assistance given to the Jews to rebuild the Temple. Years after the restoration and return to Judah, however, the temple had not yet been built. There was hardly anything. Prophet Haggai spoke words of encouragement to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, and to the people, prophesying that the temple will be built and its glory will be far greater than the first temple built by Jerusalem.
This was a prophecy not only of the physical glory of the second temple, but of a glory far greater that the structure. The true glory of the second temple is that it will be visited several times by God himself – Jesus Christ. This will be the temple during the time of Jesus. The Gospels tell us that Jesus presented in the temple, he was lost and found in the temple, he taught in the temple, he cleansed the temple, he sanctified the temple by healing in the temple. The Glory of God, Jesus Christ, will be in the Temple.
Today, in our Modern Christian world, we also have great physical structures which remind us of the presence of God. We have beautiful chapels, churches, shrines, basilicas. But the smallest and simplest of the mission chapels in a small and poor rural community, maybe made of lowly straw and beaten bamboo or mudpacks, are no less than the majestic churches of the finest and rarest marbles, mosaics and tapestry, with walls maybe even gilded with gold and silver.
(San Antonio de Padua Parish Church, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, Philippines)
The glory of the Lord may be symbolized by the structure, but the true glory in the structure is in the humility of the Tabernacle. Our greatest treasure is the Eucharist – which we celebrate in this Holy Mass, and which endures and remains with us in the consecrated species of the bread and wine – the Real Presence, which we behold in adoration and receive in communion. That is why we are asked to behave properly in Church, especially before the Blessed Sacrament. That is why we are asked to cherish the last moments of the mass in thanksgiving to Jesus who has come to us.
As we contemplate then the glory of the ancient temple, and the beauty and magnificence of churches, shrines and basilicas, let us not forget that the glory of the Lord in these, is in the Real Presence, in the Eucharist. Utmost respect, reverence, love then is our most proper response to this humble glory before us.
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