The God Who Walks Among Us

Voice over by Carol San San Lwin

1Kgs 8:1-7.9-13, Psalm: 131, Mk 6:53-56

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In our spiritual lives, we can sometimes imagine God’s presence as something distant, majestic, and confined to holy places. Today’s readings correct that vision, revealing a beautiful and comforting truth: God’s glory, while awe-inspiring, is not meant to be kept at a distance. He desires not only to dwell among us, but to walk with us, to be so close that even the touch of His garment can bring healing.

Our first reading presents a breathtaking moment in salvation history. King Solomon has completed the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. With great ceremony, the priests bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies. “When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.” This cloud was the visible sign of God’s glorious, dwelling presence—the Shekinah. Solomon proclaims, “The Lord has chosen to dwell in the thick cloud.” God’s glory was now localized in this sacred building, the place where heaven and earth met. For the Israelites, this was the ultimate comfort: God was with His people.

But the Gospel shows us that God was not finished drawing near. Jesus and His disciples cross to the shore of Gennesaret. Immediately, the people recognize Him. They rush about, bringing the sick on mats to wherever He goes. They beg to “touch only the tassel on his cloak.” And Mark tells us, “as many as touched it were healed.”

Do you see the stunning progression? In the Old Testament, God’s healing presence was in the Temple. To encounter Him, you had to go there. In Jesus, God’s presence has become mobile, personal, and accessible. People don’t ask to enter a building; they reach for the fringe of His cloak. The glory that filled the Temple now walks the dusty paths of Galilee, healing with a touch.

This is the heart of our faith: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is the true Temple, the perfect meeting place of God and humanity. His Incarnation means that God’s power and compassion are not locked away, but active in our world, reaching into our brokenness.

For us, this means two things of immense comfort and strength. First, God is accessible. You do not need a perfect spiritual resume or a special pilgrimage to find Him. He comes to you in the ordinary “landing places” of your life—in your daily work, in your family, in your moments of need. Like the people of Gennesaret, we are called to recognize Him and bring our struggles to Him with expectant faith.

Second, we are called to be a contact point for His presence. As members of His Body, the Church, we are now the temples of the Holy Spirit. We are to be like Christ in Gennesaret, allowing God’s healing love to flow through us so that others might “touch” His mercy through our kindness, our forgiveness, and our acts of service.

Pope Francis constantly calls us to be a “Church that goes forth,” a field hospital where God’s healing is brought to the streets. St. Teresa of Avila reminded us that “Christ has no body now but yours.”

Today, let us give thanks that the God of the cloud now seeks the touch of your hand. Reach out to Him in prayer. And then, go forth, carrying His presence into the world, so that all may know the God who walks among us. Amen.

May God bless you all!