Building the True Temple of the Heart

Ezra 6:7-8.12b.14-20, Psalm: 121, Lk 8:19-21

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, on this memorial of the beloved Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Padre Pio, the Word of God invites us to reflect on a magnificent theme: the building of God’s dwelling place. We see the completion of a temple made of stone, and we are called to become a living temple, built not by human hands but by hearing and doing the Word of God.

The first reading from the Book of Ezra recounts the joyful culmination of a great project: the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. This was not merely a political or architectural achievement; it was an act of profound obedience to the will of God, made possible by the decree of King Darius. The sacred text emphasizes that the project prospered because the Jewish elders “built and finished it according to the command of the God of Israel.” This external temple, with its rituals and sacrifices, was the visible sign of God’s presence among His people and the center of their worship and identity.

Yet, this physical temple points to a greater reality. In the Gospel, Jesus unveils the essence of the new and eternal covenant. When told that His mother and brothers are waiting to see Him, He declares, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” With these words, Christ does not diminish the Blessed Virgin Mary—she is the supreme model of one who hears and obeys—but He radically expands the definition of God’s family. The new temple is not a building of stone; it is the community of the faithful. The defining characteristic of this family is not blood relation, but spiritual obedience. We become members of God’s household, true relatives of Christ, when we internalize His word and allow it to shape our actions.

The obedience that built the first temple finds its fulfillment in the obedience of faith that builds the Church, the Body of Christ.

Saint Padre Pio is a magnificent icon of this living temple. His life was utterly dedicated to hearing the Word of God in prayer and acting on it in an extraordinary way. He built a spiritual temple through his intense celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, his hours spent in hearing confessions, and his compassionate care for the sick, which led to the building of the “House for the Relief of Suffering.” He once said, “In the spiritual life, you must never let up; you must always strive for greater fervor and greater progress.” His stigmata were the profound sign of his total conformity to the obedient Christ, whose body is the true Temple.

The comfort and challenge for us today is this: God desires to dwell in us. We are called to be living stones in this spiritual temple. How do we build it? By actively listening to God’s word in Scripture and allowing it to convert our hearts. By “acting on it” through the concrete practice of charity, patience, and forgiveness in our families and communities.

As Pope Benedict XVI taught, “The word of God… draws us into the conversation of the Son with the Father and makes us sharers in their communion.”

Let us ask for the intercession of Saint Padre Pio. May he help us to build a heart so open and obedient to God’s word that we truly become, together, the living temple where God is glorified, and a true family of Christ, our Lord. Amen.