ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET

Second before Advent, 2006

Fr Ivan Aquilina

It often happens that we are more impressed by the icing than by the cake. We tend to look at what is superficial and focus on that. The gospel today speaks to us about such a tendency.

The disciples are walking in Jerusalem, and as they look at the Temple they are impressed by it. And in those days it was indeed a sight to behold, an impressive building which was also a statement. The temple was a statement not only of the Faith of the Hebrews but also of their existence as against those who occupied their land. The disciples were taken by the building and recalling what it stood for quite innocently make remarks to that effect. It was at this moment that Jesus comes in with a lesson that stands for us also. He says to them: “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down”.

To understand the meaning of these words we need to look for the deeper meaning. This was not only a prophetic statement that was fulfilled in the year 70 when the temple was indeed destroyed; surely Jesus has more to say than that. Jesus is explaining to his disciples there present and to us here today that it is pointless to hang our hopes on impressive structures be them temples, cathedrals, churches or synods and PCC’s. Though all of them like the Temple have their place and importance they are only pointers and aids. We are reminded that it is not to denominations or buildings that we owe our allegiance, impressive as they may be, but to God whose presence is brought about by Christ and his holy body: the Church; it is only in this context that all other structures and realities function and make any sense.

We are bigger than this holy building, we are bigger than Christians in England or worldwide, Christ himself builds us into God’s holy people past, present and future. Today the baptism of Thomas brings in front of our eyes this reality. Thomas is not being baptised into the Margaret Street community, he is baptised in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ that exists in the here and now and also beyond time and space. Through this baptism and this Gospel reading Jesus points to us that we need to look at the bigger picture. Jesus warns us of that constant danger of falling into the trap of focusing and supporting our structures rather than our relationship with God and with each other. Jesus warns us of the danger of watering down the Gospel so that our structures may be more relevant to our present situation. In this process we forget the inheritance that we have received and the future generations, who like Thomas, have a right to receive from us the Faith Catholic. This is the danger in which our own devotions, preferences and likes take precedence over our life in Christ and our loyalty to Christ. Jesus reminds us not follow what is transient but to fix our gaze on what is eternal. “There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down”.

Jesus uses language which for us seems very strange, but for his audience those words of wars and persecution and earthquakes were familiar. They were the words to portray the end of times. It seems that Jesus is saying to his beloved: Never mind about the Temple, even creation itself should never be a stumbling block for you as even creation itself is transient. Jesus urges us to fix our gaze on God who is the source, end and fulfilment of creation.

The second half of the gospel points us to another reality; the reality that the Christian life is not an easy one. It will be full of persecutions and distractions both from within and from without. As the living body of Christ we support and sustain each other just as the parents and godparents of Thomas are going to promise to do with him as he grows in his Christian life. Those who are faithful and endure with courage and love will be wise, and as we have it in the writings of Daniel: “…the wise will shine …like the stars for ever and ever”.

Today the Church urges us to take courage and using words from the letter to the Hebrews asks us to turn to Christ, the real living Temple of God, whose blood purifies us and takes us in the presence of God to share the divine life. This is what happened to us in our own baptism, this is what will happen to Thomas now. And so let us draw near to God with true hearts, holding fast to our hope stirring up one another to form living stones of that temple that no hand can destroy. That temple: Jesus Christ our Lord to whom alone belong all glory and power and might now and for ever. Amen.