The Jerusalem Temple was one of the most magnificent buildings the world has ever known. It took thousands of workers years to build and decorate the Temple. Only the best materials were used so. Some of the stones used weighed hundreds of tons. Inside its walls were some 45 acres. The Temple of Jerusalem was a like a rock of Gibraltar. It was there to stay because God was there to stay. It was the one place you could count on — in good times or in bad.
And yet, some forty years or so after Jesus suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, the temple was destroyed by the Romans and only a small part of an outer wall remains today. The impact upon the Jewish Faith and people cannot be overstated. There are three important points for us to consider and remember.
First, do not get caught up in the externals of faith and lose sight of what is truly important – the spiritual which is eternal. Beautiful churches are wonderful to have – and we have a very beautiful one, indeed — but they are worthless if the believers who worship there don’t have a living faith. God wants us to have hearts on fire like the two disciples who met the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus. God wants to live in our hearts and not simply our churches.
Second, do not put your trust in princes or presidents, priests or the prelates we call Bishops. Many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day – chief priests, scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees – let their people down as they thought more about themselves than their role entrusted to them. How many times have a few bishops and priests let us down by their sins of commission & omission? Please don’t ever let your faith depend upon fallible people with foibles and failings.
Finally, only in God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – can we trust, believe, and count on in times of trial and adversity. Politicians cannot save us. Celebrities cannot save us. Only God! The Book of Hebrews teaches us: “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hb. 13:8)
St. Teresa of Avila put it this way: “Let nothing disturb you; let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes. Who has God wants nothing. God alone suffices.”