+ In this book of Ezra, there is a lot of effort and a lot of building going on to do exactly that — to rebuild the temple of the Lord.
It seems kind of extraordinary that the Persian Empire and the Persian kings had such an interest and support for rebuilding, supporting, and encouraging shrines and spiritual endeavors.
Perhaps it was that they somehow knew that spiritual centers made for better people, or somehow enkindled in them goodness and righteousness.
It is at least curious to this author how supportive these kings were.
And, although it was observed that this temple was a little less glorious than the first, it stood for a long time — until 70 AD, when it was destroyed again and never again to be rebuilt.
In the meantime, the Jews enjoyed their temple once again in Jerusalem, and they could — and surely did — sing and dance to Psalm 122: “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”
And Jesus, too, saw a deeper reality than just blood relationship — family ties.
When told that his mother and brothers had come to see him, Jesus responded: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
How strange! How insightful! How Jesus, as usual!
He always seemed to get it. To say it. To show that the real connections in life are deeply entangled with and in the Spirit.
Finding God within and among others binds us more deeply than anything else could.
To be family by blood is beautiful. To be a God-family is divine.
For us all to discover being true brothers and sisters in Christ, to become the body of Christ in the world is, I think, what Jesus was talking about then and is just as true today.
And we, too, can sing it like that old song in the ’60s — “We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord!”
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
