"Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." (John 12:20-21)
As my heart breaks for the devastating fire in this beautiful place, I am reflecting (again!) on the question of where we go to find Jesus. "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
If we wish to see Jesus, we do not need to go to a beautiful cathedral. Although that may speak to our souls, God cannot be contained in a building. God's mission is not inside buildings, it is throughout the world. It is a mission of the reconciliation and healing of all creation.
There have already been pledges of money to rebuild Notre Dame. In our travels, we have seen many churches that have been burned or ruined, and then rebuilt, or have had new parts added on over the years when energy and funds were available. I do not doubt that Notre Dame will be rebuilt, and people will once again be able to stand and pray in a place that has been bathed in prayer for over a thousand years. But I hope that as it is rebuilt, equal effort and resources will be devoted to building God's kingdom -- feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and walking in love with our neighbors.
Buildings come and go. God is eternal.
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