Haggai is one of the later prophets. The exile is over and the people are back home. Faced with the enormous amount of work in the reconstruction of the Temple, the first Jews returning from Babylon had their spirits dampened and soon gave up, discouraged. The re-building of the Temple seemed too daunting a task and so they put their efforts into re-building their own lives, concentrating perhaps too much on improving the material aspect whilst forgetting the importance that the Temple had in the lives of their ancestors. Thus, it is the task of Haggai (and also Zechariah) to call and stir up the people to renewed efforts.

This is perhaps our own story as well. Some marvellous god-filled event in our life or some other spiritual experience such as a retreat, may have given us an awareness that God has indeed called us personally to a particular mission. Yet, initial conviction and zeal may have disappeared somewhat when faced with the actual difficulties and challenges encountered.

Today, we are called not to be settled in our own little world concerned only with our own needs and comfort, but instead to make that effort to confront the challenges and difficulties to build God's Temple¡K to build His Kingdom of justice, truth, peace and love in our world today.