Family is the most basic fabric of society. Man can’t live without family. God has placed him in a family where he can learn the most important lesson of his life that he is loved and therefore he learns to love others. This is the most important lesson he learns for his life. Similarly, our lives are filled with contributions from our families. We admire them once we realize its importance in our lives. There are many metaphors used for the family to bring about its importance such as family is a stack of bricks, remove some and the whole structure is either shaken or collapses. It is like a symphony with different musical notes; when they are played harmoniously, they sound good. It is like a warm house, where people find warmth for their lives. I want to reflect on another metaphor of the family, a temple of peace.
Important elements of a Temple:
A temple is a place where we find God. People visit temples to find peace in their lives. Usually, temples are situated on mountains, next to rivers, etc. the whole surrounding and the campus itself makes us feel the presence of God in our midst. There are some important elements which are synonymous to a temple, irrespective of any religion.
- Silence: A temple is blessed with an aura of silence. There are many people from different walks of life, visiting the temple, yet they maintain this silence. This silence helps us to communicate with God and to listen to God’s voice. It also helps the devotees to get in touch with their inner being. Silence is considered a language of lovers. The devotee and God, who are in love with each other, often get connected in this silence.
- Mediation of a priest:
A priest in a temple helps a devotee to offer their prayers to God. He blesses the devotee on behalf of God. Thus he plays the role of a mediator between God and the faithful. Sometimes a priest offers to listen to the devotees who find God’s voice and wisdom in a priest.
- A sanctuary:
Every temple has a designated place where the presence of God is enshrined. It is called the sanctuary. It is the most important place in the temple. A priest performs rituals in the sanctuary and a devotee surrenders himself to God in the sanctuary. It has a most pleasant atmosphere in the sanctuary where one feels the presence of God. The incense, flowers, lights and enchanting music, which enhances the entire ambience of God’s presence.
- Mission command:
Every temple has a group of people seeking help. Sometimes the temple authority arranges to receive a donation that is used in the aid of poor and needy. God motivates his people when they meet him to find joy in helping the poor and needy. Every temple has these basic elements.
The Christian understanding of peace:
The second important thing to understand is peace. The Christian understanding of peace is different from the secular one. Peace is not just an absence of war and conflicts; rather it is the ordering of human nature according to the eternal law of God. Peace and justice go hand in hand. Peace is the basic attribute of God. The Bible says, “The Lord is peace.” (Judges 6:24). When man lived according to God’s plan, he experienced peace; but after the disobedience, man experienced blood and division. God can’t be present where there is violence.
The church teaches us that Christ is the prince of peace. (Is. 9:5). By his blood, he has killed the hostility. He has reconciled man with God. Therefore; he is our peace (Eph. 2:14). He calls us to restore peace by respecting people and practising fraternal love.
Every Family is a temple of Jesus, the peace:
Every family pursues peace in the modern world. We need to rediscover the sacredness of the family once again. The elements explained above about the temple are already present in the family. Every person is called to holiness by the sacrament of matrimony; your conjugal relationship is made holy. Christ enters into a relationship, with a couple when they profess their vows before God and His Church. One has to constantly remind themselves that the temple is built by coming together. Jesus promises, “Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I with them.” (Mt. 18:20). Christ is present in them. Is His presence acknowledged?
- Silence: Silence has a positively powerful impact on today’s society. Families should dedicate time to silence; especially during the early morning and evenings. Everyone should help each other to maintain silence. Every family member should learn to respect the silence of others. Silence helps to build a relationship not only with God but also with one another.
- Mediation of a priest: By the virtue of the common priesthood, all of us are enjoying the triple functions of Christ; priest, prophet and king. Our Church says, “The whole community of believers is as such priestly. The faithful exercises then baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his vocation in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king (ccc 1546). If we are ‘priests’ by our baptism, then we are called to come together to celebrate our faith in our own families by reciting traditional prayers, reading holy scriptures, breaking the word to the children, teaching faith and morals to others in the family.
- A sanctuary:A family also has a sanctuary and that is the altar in the homes. Pope Francis says the cross is the first altar on which Christ offered his sacrifice. When we offer mass we are reminded of the cross on which Christ crucified. When we place the crucifix on the altar in our family homes, we must gather together to pray in the morning and the evening, thus making it a sanctuary for the family to gather around and worship the Lord.
- Mission command: God is truly worshipped and glorified when families gather together to pray. Remember, a family that prays together stays together. And they are refilled with the grace of God to go out and work for the poor and the needy. Having experienced the peace of God in our hearts, we are sent out to spread the same peace around us. It becomes a movement. The apostles, who gathered together in the upper room, with Mother Mary, experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and they immediately went out and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ. (Act. 1-2). It became a movement and thus Christianity was formed.
We have seen all the salient core features of a temple and how it is similar to families to draw a parallelism between the two. However, God is the prince of peace of the common point. We run to the temples and churches to draw peace but how about our sweet homes? God dwells in our home. He is the prince of peace. Do we treat our families as the temple of peace? Let us discover the peace in our families first, before running into markets to establish it.
