The temple shall be dedicated to the pursuit of peace. It shall be for reconciliation and for healing of the spirit.
[Excerpted from “We Are Called to Share in Creating a Common Vision” by C. Robert Mesle, Preparing for the Temple, Herald Publishing House, 1989, pp. 40-41]
Christians have always affirmed that God is omnipresent—that is, present and active everywhere. Obviously, if we receive divine love, God is always reaching out to us wherever we are. The important meaning of this is that people can experience the Sacred anywhere. The Divine is not confined but awaits our response in all times and places. Consequently, there is obviously no thought that God will be any more present in our Temple than at our workplace, at a sports event, or at prayer meetings in our homes. God will not be more present in the Temple in Independence than in a grass hut in Kenya.
There will, however, be something different about the Temple for most of us. It will be a sacred space in a special way. The difference will not be in God but in people. We have a long tradition of hope, anticipation, and expectation which we will bring to the place. Many of us will have sacrificed significantly to make this hope a reality, and many, no doubt, will contribute to the actual building of the structure. Our corporate tradition and personal autobiographies will cause us to approach this place in a way we approach no other. Because we will come expecting to encounter God and prepared to be responsive to the presence of the Sacred, the Temple will indeed be a powerfully sacred space for many.
Each time we seek and find the Sacred there, our expectation and openness will become stronger. Sacred space becomes more sacred, more powerful, as our experiences with it grow in meaning and richness, making us more open to the presence of the Divine there. As a community with much common history, those for whom the Temple is a special place will still share a common sense of its power.
Prayer Phrase
“We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Sea of Light
Quiet and center yourself. Ask for God’s healing and guidance as you enter this time of prayerful presence. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and calmly. Imagine that you are floating in a beautiful sea of light that rises and falls with each cycle of your breath. The golden light of this sea buoys you up, so you float effortlessly. Waves of light carry and wash over you, bringing wholeness and peace. Rest in the sea of God’s love, then offer a prayer of gratitude.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.