While I was reflecting on today’s first reading, I couldn’t help but think about the little wooden box I keep under my bed; I usually refer to it as my treasure box. In that box, I keep a random collection of bits and pieces, trinkets, medals and letters that remind me of special moments. In a way, that little treasure box is the dwelling place for the physical representations of my special memories. This, in turn, made me think of other dwelling places….my apartment, my mind, my heart, my soul, and the kingdom of God. These are dwelling places that are no doubt sacred spaces. Have I cared for them as I should? What are our sacred spaces built with? Who or what dwells in our sacred spaces? Who guards it? Is there room for God in our dwelling place or in what we call our sacred spaces? It is as if the instructions given to Moses are also for us today and God is saying, child of mine, build a dwelling place for the living word, build it sturdy and secure so that it is not corrupted, but ensure that day or night, light or dark, its presence and tangibility can be felt throughout your life journey.
Speaking of dwelling places and sacred spaces, in today’s Gospel, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as a dwelling place for the good……for the righteous. In the kingdom of heaven, that which we consider old, and that which we consider new, shall be gathered together as the same; and what is necessary will be kept, while what is not necessary for the vitality of the soul shall be thrown away. The kingdom of heaven is here; let us be conscious of the cloud we unknowingly allow to settle down upon it, because when clouds take up space, we are unable to move forward in our life journey; it is difficult to see; it is treacherous for movement. This is the case with any dwelling place, we must clear out the clutter, remove the cloud, sort what is needed from what is wanted, take stock of the content, and make it sacred space where the glory of God can be experienced. We are living temples, a dwelling place for God; let us clear out the clutter and make room for love, for peace, and for God.
Vivian Amu
I am an alumna of Creighton University. My Jesuit education has taught me to live a more reflective life and find God in every moment. I am originally from Nigeria, West Africa. Currently, I live in the heart of the Midwest in the United States. I consider myself a lifelong learner. I enjoy cooking, watching movies and baking shows. I love reading a good mystery novel. I have read all books written by Agatha Christie and all books in the Sherlock Holmes series. I enjoyed every one of them.
I enjoy writing because it feels like free falling with trust into the arms of God. I find freedom, life, and beauty in praying with poems and scripture. I also contribute to the Living Faith devotionals and feel a lot of gratitude for the opportunity to be a contributor to the Creighton University online ministry reflection webpage.
