Some of us think of a church as a nice building with perhaps a nice altar, pews, tabernacle and other fixtures and fittings that make a church look like a church. But what we see is only the physical and structural part of a church. Do we also see the other part of the church, which is the people or the faithful? In fact, what is more important is not the building or the structures, but the people or the faithful; since the church, even from the earliest times of Christianity, are made up the faithful, and that the focus should be on building up the faithful and helping the faithful grow.
In today's reading, we are told that the waters flowing from the Temple, "flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome. Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful, for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows. Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal."
Notice that the waters flowing from the Temple brings health and life, enables the growth of every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails, and that their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal. If the waters flowing from the Temple could bring health and life, are our churches doing the same? Are our churches full of faithful who are "good to eat and the leaves medicinal" in their behaviour, attitude, care and concern towards others, and in their witnessing? Or have our churches become more and more divided, segregrated, like a marketplace? May we come to realise the true significance of the church and being church, and be life-giving and bringing the message of the Good News to all, so that all may have health and life.
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