The religious authorities want to know what Jesus thinks gave him the authority to cause such a disturbance at the temple. He has disrupted their trade and probably inconvenienced several pilgrims as well. Jesus’ actions have made a bold and provocative statement.
Jesus doesn’t answer the question directly but reframes the entire
discussion as he so often does. He shifts the attention away from the scene around him and asks more profound questions about the meaning and significance of the temple and worship and sacrifice.
The authorities do not realise it, but Jesus shifts the centre of worship from the physical body of the temple to his own body. In doing so, he shifts our entire understanding of “thin places”.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. He is the incarnation and personification of the divine and divine life and love. While this incarnation happened at a specific moment in history, in some way, it continues daily in our hearts. Every time we love another person, we realise that Jesus has become tangible once again.
Jesus shifts our “thin places” from the external world into our own hearts. In Jesus, the veil between
God’s world and our world “thins” to nothing. We do not need any specific place, time or ritual to find God; God already dwells within us. We need simply to learn to recognise that.
While God may be easier to find in a Church than in a nightclub, we cannot deny that God is in both. While God may be easier to find in nature than in a messy, noisy inner city district, we cannot deny that God dwells in both. While God may be easier to
find on a pilgrimage than in the ordinary routines of daily life, we must remember that God is fully present to us in both.
We need to allow our hearts to become “thin places”.
What are the places where you find it challenging to find God? How can you allow your heart to become a “thin place”, constantly aware and in tune with God’s presence?
Reflections by Sean van Staden SJ
