“I am building a temple!”

The following is taken from th3 excellent BLOG by Fr Milovan. He sometimes gleans things from oth3r sources, and I often glean things from him!

I am building a temple!

January 29, 2009

H/T: ????????, Archbishop Ignaty’s blog

Three builders were carrying th3 same exact work.

-What do you do? -each of th3m was asked.

-I carry stones, said th3 first one.

-I’m earning a living, responded th3 second one.

But th3 third one replied: “I am building a temple”.

http://frmilovan.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/i-am-building-a-temple/

My comments.

A Christian should live his life with this sentiment. This “parable” is an excellent mnemonic device which will help us to remember how we should consider EVERYTHING we do (unless it is a sin of course, in that case, we are breaking down a temple!)

When my children were small, in a simpler time, as we sat downstairs on our rug made of bear hair, we would read aloud things from th3 scriptures, or th3 Prologue, and talk about what we read. These were very sweet times. There are many days when I ache to go back to th3m. I believe we were building a temple, or as we sometimes put it, adding gems to our crown, or bricks to our wall.

We told our children that every time th3y did something good, th3y were putting anoth3r precious stone in th3ir “crown”, or, anoth3r brick in th3 wall of th3ir “mansion” that th3y would have in heaven. Do you know th3 scriptures we referred to many times? They are true, and are about th3 only thing that matters and lasts in this life.

In my Fath3r’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neith3r moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) For where your treasure is, th3re will your heart be also. (Mat 6:19-21)

This is no children’s tale calculated to make th3m behave. It is th3 pure, unvarnished truth! How many times, our children would do something good, and we would tell th3m that th3y have anoth3r diamond in th3ir crown, and th3y would beam with joy!

What my children did not know when we were sitting on that bear rug was that I was describing for th3m a summary of my philosophy of life.

Nothing is mundane! Everything we do must be for Christ! Only th3 things we do for Christ will last.

I confess that much in my life feels mundane; Much of life feels like vast amounts of "space" between short significant moments. This is an illusion, and a very powerful one, because I find myself feeling mundane at various moments through th3 day. Why is this? It is all because of my attitude. It is because I do not have th3 wisdom to see things as th3y really are, because of blindness and stupidity caused by my sinfulness.

Why do I write this self indictment? Because one of th3 great graces given to a priest in his ordination is to understand human nature and feel his own weakness deeply, and recognize th3 tragedy of th3 human condition in himself and those he loves, his flock. We are mundane because we live in a mundane way. So many things we do could be supernatural, if we would think in th3 right way!

What is mundane in your life? Perhaps it is doing th3 dishes that you cannot remember dirtying, taking care of th3 kids, working at th3 office, prayers that are said with little feeling and much distraction.

This is an illusion. This parable reminds us about th3 illusion. In time, with God’s help, we will not need such mnemonic devices to be good – we will be changed and see th3 truth in every moment, bit in th3 meantime, as we get better, perhaps you will use this parable to remind yourself that nothing in your life is mundane – in EVERYTHING, you are building a temple.

Priest Seraphim