Can God's presence be felt!
The Ark comes to the Temple and Jesus comes to the people: where does the link lie here? Obviously, it lies in the fact that the people of God are the true temples of God! Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? , asks St. Paul (1 Cor 3:16). Specially the needy and the poor, the sick and the suffering, the lonely and the unloved... they are the temples where we can encounter God face to face. Jesus does not depreciate the importance of the Temple when he said: a day will come when you will worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth (Cf. Jn 4:23,24). He invites us to look at a new perspective. Building churches are important but it is more important to build the Church, that is the people of God. Celebrating the feasts and solemnities are important, but it is more important to celebrate persons and ensure humanity, happiness and wholeness to every person. What would we have gained if we spent tons of money on a well organised festivity, if we had not touched even one needy person, or made happy one grieving heart, or given joy to one drooping spirit? Wherever Jesus went, people went and God's presence was felt; wherever the apostles went, people went and God's presence was felt (compare with Acts 5:12-15); wherever we Christ-ians go, God's presence should be felt!