Zeal for God’s house is not about defending bricks and mortar. It is about celebrating sacred space in our lives. We celebrate the establishment of a building today because it took centuries for Christians to be able to worship God in public.
We need space in our lives whose only purpose is to praise God – physical space and mental space. In cities defined by skyscrapers and sports stadiums, it is important that we set aside places where we come not to celebrate human achievement or to make money, but to join our voices together in prayer. Likewise, in our own hearts and minds, if we do not drive out intellectual distractions and various desires that impinge upon our spiritual well-being, we will not have any place left in ourselves to worship God.
Where are the spaces in your life that have no purpose other than the celebration of God?
—Fr. Paul Lickteig, S.J. serves as parochial vicar at St. Xavier Church, Cincinnati OH.