In our first reading we hear how King Solomon has constructed a temple, a home for God, in the midst of Jerusalem. No longer would the Ark of the Covenant reside in a tent and move from place to place. Instead a gilded hall would shelter the Ark and its two stone tablets on which were written the law given on Mount Sinai.

We Christians are the building blocks of a living temple, repositories of the Holy Spirit with the Law of God written on our hearts. In holy communion we receive Christ, the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus into our bodies so that we might be transformed and incorporated into the Body of Christ so that Jesus might be seen walking the earth today through our words, our actions, our gestures and our forgiveness and our compassion.

On a hill overlooking the city of Nagasaki, 26 martyrs of Japan were crucified. They were priests, brothers and laymen. Japanese Jesuit brother Paul Miki preached while being crucified: "The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ... I obey Christ. After Christ's example I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain."