Sunday Reflection 3rd Sunday of Lent "I Helped Build That"

I Helped Build That 

Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11;  1 Corinthians 1:22-25;  John 2:13-25

God speaks to us in what we observe everyday. I study the mass readings and look how they apply to my life. Many times I find this meaning at work. This week, work was in Ft. Lauderdale, FL at the ABC National Craft Championships. Young people come from all over the country to compete in skills like welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and many others.

During the day, it’s about the workers. The keynote speaker’s address was about working for a living. He celebrated workers that roll up their sleeves and get dirty, describing them as the strong and silent backbone of society. These are people with no pretense. They can point to a building, a car, a ship, or a road and say “I helped build that!”

The speaker was once a carpenter but is now a famous actor. He criticized actors, athletes, musicians, and entertainers who are often full of their self importance because the public worships celebrity. In reality they offer little to society. The speaker finished by saying, “No matter how successful an actor he was, his greatest pride was to l bring his kids to a house he worked on as a carpenter and say, I helped build that!”

Thursday night was different, I saw a whole different world. It was the Excellence in Construction Awards Gala. It was a fundraiser for the event. People who attended this had wealth. They dressed in tuxedos and evening dresses adorned with diamonds and jewels. Dinner was $250 a plate. It was not for the workers but the business owners.  

I saw all this; but, the speaker's words, "I helped build that," is what stuck with me. In these words the Holy Spirit touched my heart.

In the first reading from Exodus we learn of God’s covenant with the people of Israel. Through Moses, the Israelites got the tools to fulfill and build on their part of the covenant. These basic tools were the 10 Commandments; the instructions for a covenant relationship with God. They were the tools that would bring the people closer to God and to one another. But the people failed; they turned these tools into the Law. In the Law, many lost sight of God’s plan and followed their plans instead. The law became more important than building their covenant with God.

So God sent the One who would build, Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells how Jesus challenged those in the temple, “Tear this temple down and in three days I will rebuild it.” Christ is the new covenant on which is built a new relationship with God. A new covenant relationship, not built on the law. A relationship with God built in Christ.

I saw signs and wisdom of modern society during my trip. I saw money and wealth.  At the airport, there was a grown man in footed bunny pajamas and a young lady dressed in all black, black makeup and thigh high Frankenstein boots. I heard about the people in Hollywood and their agenda. These are the signs and wisdom of a noisy world. 

But, the Holy Spirit brings us to God often in the quietest of ways.

On the flight back to Monroe, I sat with the Texas State men’s basketball team. Through one of these young men, God sent me a simple quiet message. A 6”7” young man squeezed himself into the seat next to me. He was polite, but spoke mainly with his teammates as the plane prepared to take-off. During the flight, in his cramped lap, he open a bible to 1 Corinthians. I don’t know the verses he was reading, but we read from the same letter of St. Paul today these words, “To those who are called…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

I thought about my week and how the Holy Spirit had spoken to me. People who work to help build the Kingdom of God are the strong and silent backbone of our faith. They help to build quietly through the power and wisdom of God witnessing Christ, the new covenant.

We witness by not being ashamed to read God’s word. We help build God’s Kingdom when we are kind to someone or pray for others or feed the hungry; bringing Christ without seeking fame. We are the backbone of our faith when we set a positive example for a child or respect our parents or bring a friend to church. We show God’s love when we love and are not jealous of others. We help build the Kingdom of God using the simple tools God gave us.

Maybe one day, we will stand before the Kingdom of God and say - through Christ, I helped build that! 

(Thanks Gary G. for the picture)