“You are God’s building… the temple of God, which you are, is holy.”

1 Corinthians, 3:9–17

Some years ago I began an evening at the RCA by asking everyone to line up in the front of the room, candidates, sponsors, and team members alike. I told them I was going to suggest personal characteristics. And if they thought that attribute applied to them, they should step forward. If they felt deficient in that characteristic, maybe they should take a step back.

We practiced. I said "Do you consider yourself a “patient” person?”  They responded by stepping forward… or not. "How about “intellectual?" I asked.

We went through several more characteristics: Organized? Reflective?  Then I said, "Holy. Do you consider yourself holy?" Everyone froze. I let them savor the moment and then return to their seats. That night we talked about the communion of saints.

Today we celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome. And our scriptures reference buildings, sacred buildings, holy buildings.  Down the street, at St. Sebastian, giant letters carved over the door tell everyone, “ This is the House of the Lord”. So now you know. God lives on Mull Avenue!

But Saint Paul reminds us that God lives in us, too, and so we, too, are holy. What a difference it would make if we truly believed that of ourselves and of each other!

I am a “place for everything and everything in its place” kind of gal… married to a "there's a horizontal surface. I think I’ll set something on it”, kind of guy! How much less eye-rolling there would be in our house if I consciously thought of myself as holy and thought of Bill the same way. Not just as an idea in my head… but really and truly believed that in my heart of hearts and let that belief inform my behavior!

The world seems to be coming apart at the seams… polarized, angry. People look at one another and see enemies, instead of brothers and sisters, instead of tabernacles.

We may not be able to have a direct impact on the world at large, but we can and must carry that vision into our personal worlds, our families, our neighborhoods, our homes.

It begins by looking at others and in the mirror each day and saying with conviction, “You, too, are the House of the Lord! “  Amen.