Taurus – Physical – Crown: TEMPLE

What elements are there to affirm that the world is a great temple? It is evident that there are striking correspondences between the account of creation and that of the construction of the tabernacle. The correspondence between the world and the tabernacle can also be seen in the fact that the tabernacle is built according to divine instructions, that is, according to what God says. Therefore, the tabernacle is not a merely human work but, like the world, the fruit of God’s word.

The account in Genesis 1 presents the world as a house that is progressively built so that man may dwell in it together with other living beings. In turn, the fact that man is the image and likeness of God implies considering him as God’s representative. Man is the vizier of God in creation: his task is to administer (oikonomeo) a house (oikos) that is not properly his own, but God’s.

The relationship between world and temple is also verified around certain Edenic motifs. Indeed, Ezekiel describes Eden as the «holy mountain of God». It was common in the Near East for temples to be surrounded by parks resembling the primordial garden. Israel seems to have been no exception

In the temple everything must be pure because it is the very garden of God. Entering this space implies experiencing the original candor of the entire creation. That is why in the context of the celebration of divine mercy the psalmist exclaims: «men take refuge in the shadow of your wings, they are satisfied with the abundance of your house, and you give them to drink from the torrent of your delights».

One last note on Eden. When man was expelled from the garden for his disobedience, God «placed at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubim and the flame of the zigzagging sword to guard access to the tree of life» (Gen 3:24). The fact is that throughout the Bible the cherubim are mentioned only in the liturgical framework of the temple, fundamentally as guardians of the ark of the covenant.31 This leads us to think that Eden must be contemplated as a temple, a most holy place to which man no longer has free access.

I invite everyone to read Matías’ post on the topic of the day.

Templo

Finally, I encourage everyone to reflect on the concept of the day. No one else but us can re-signify our own being

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