The Tent, the Dwelling of God

Homily for Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Three things stand out in today’s first reading. First, Moses prepares the Dwelling (that is, the “meeting tent” or tabernacle) according to God’s command. Second, there is the cloud signifying God’s own presence, as the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. Third, the Israelites rely on the cloud’s presence to determine their movements. When God’s presence is there, they stay. When the cloud lifts up, they move.

God came to dwell with his people after Moses had obediently completed the tasks the Lord had commanded, making the tent ready for God’s presence. This included bringing the Ark of the Covenant and the Ten Commandments into it. This was the place where God was present, and it was portable and transient.

When Jesus came among us, God’s dwelling place became permanent. In addition, we ourselves are living Tabernacles, living dwelling places of God. Our journey, like that of the Israelites, is also to a promised land – the kingdom of heaven – and God accompanies us along the way.

After God’s presence filled the tent, before doing anything, the Israelites sought God’s will. This is an important lesson for us. Do we pray before we act? Do we take time to ask and listen to what the Lord desires for us? Do we, in other words, take advantage of the fact that God dwells with us.

The Israelites followed God, literally. God moved, and they followed. God’s dwelling is permanently present to us in the Eucharist; Jesus calls us to remain with him as a branch that is grafted onto a vine.