building new church

²¹In him, all that has been built is framed together, rising up into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him, you also have been built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit.

⁵be also yourselves like living stones, built upon him, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, so as to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

¹A Canticle in steps: of Solomon. Unless the Lord has built the house, those who build it have labored in vain. Unless the Lord has guarded the city, he who guards it watches in vain.

⁵“Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place? ⁶For I have not lived in a house from the day that I led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt, even to this day. Instead, I have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent. ⁷And in all the places that I have crossed through, with all the sons of Israel, did I ever speak a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I instructed to pasture my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’

¹⁸And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

⁹Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold, says the Lord of hosts.

¹Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What is this house that you would build for me? And what is this place of my rest? ²My hand has made all these things, and all these things have been made, says the Lord. But upon whom will I look with favor, except upon a poor little one, who is contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my words?

¹Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, ²he said to the prophet Nathan, “Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?” ³And Nathan said to the king: “Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.” ⁴But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: ⁵“Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place? ⁶For I have not lived in a house from the day that I led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt, even to this day. Instead, I have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent.

²³But the hour is coming, and it is now, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeks such persons who may worship him.

²⁰And I replied to them a word, and I said to them: “The God of heaven himself is helping us, and we are his servants. Let us rise up and build. But there is no portion, or justice, or remembrance in Jerusalem for you.”

²⁴And let us be considerate of one another, so as to prompt ourselves to charity and to good works, ²⁵not deserting our assembly, as some are accustomed to do, but consoling one another, and even more so as you see that the day is approaching.

¹My brothers, not many of you should choose to become teachers, knowing that you shall receive a stricter judgment. ²For we all offend in many ways. If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. And he is then able, as if with a bridle, to lead the whole body around. ³For so we put bridles into the mouths of horses, in order to submit them to our will, and so we turn their whole body around. ⁴Consider also the ships, which, though they are great and may be driven by strong winds, yet they are turned around with a small rudder, to be directed to wherever the strength of the pilot might will. ⁵So also the tongue certainly is a small part, but it moves great things. Consider that a small fire can set ablaze a great forest. ⁶And so the tongue is like a fire, comprising all iniquity. The tongue, stationed in the midst of our body, can defile the entire body and inflame the wheel of our nativity, setting a fire from Hell.

¹⁵But, if I am delayed, you should know the manner in which it is necessary to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and the foundation of truth.