Jesus Priest and Altar

I have begun reading a book by Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth.  A little light reading for Holy Week.  Benedict goes into great detail about the controversy that causes the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities, in John's Gospel.  This is no small matter for the religious leaders of the time. Jesus has just desecrated the temple, and is challenging the temple worship.  For the Pharisees the temple is the center of their religion, and is symbolic of the law and the covenant tradition. 

As Jesus comes on the scene he is presenting himself as the new 'temple.'  We will hear this again in Hebrews as Jesus is described as the altar, priest, and lamb of sacrifice.  Throughout John's Gospel Jesus attempts to convey that true worship is accomplished when it occurs in spirit and in truth.  Jesus wants his followers to move out of a mentality that God is found in a place, as much as God is found in those who are faithful.

So we have Jesus reiterating from time to time that he does only the things, the actions, preaching, and teaching, as is directed from the Father in heaven.  Faithful followers worship in spirit and truth, and follow the direction of the Father.  More so, it is by sincere worship, that which includes interior conversion, that one might come to know the Father and have union with him.

As we continue to re-do our sanctuary, I was reading the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) about altars.  I want a stone altar.  Anyway I am inspired by how the text describes the altar s the place where the the Eucharist happens, but  also it is where the people of God gather around.  This table affects the lives of the faithful on so many levels.  It becomes a powerful sign and symbol of the thanksgiving, or the Eucharist, which is celebrated.

In this rather long pericope from St. John, we are called to understand God's love and revelation in a whole new way.  Our Mass is not disconnected with who we are, or the vision of the world around us.  An ornate or plain able, bread and wine, people and prayer, become a springboard out into the world around us.  While we gather around our Church table, we also gather around our family table.

Tonight at soup and speaker, a little boy of about three or four kept staring at me.  He would wave on occasion, calling out, "Hi God."  When he walked near me he would touch my shoulder.  In his mind he is eating with the divine.  St. Paul  wants us to know that we possess something sacred through Jesus Christ.  It is not only found in the Church, but in all faithful people.  It would be neat if all children of God could recognize the sacredness that we possess, even outside the temple.