These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, November 9

Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. (1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17)

It’s hard for us to believe that for the first 300 years of the church, Christianity was NOT a tolerated religion in the Roman Empire. When Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthian community where he had spent at least a year and a half preaching, the humble Christian community did not have a church building. They met in people’s homes. When Paul says “you are God’s temple,” he’s having a bit of a laugh. Today’s picture is of the majestic ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Corinth. Today's full readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110921.cfm.