As living stones we are built into the house and altar of God

Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

Today, as our Church celebrates the dedication of our parish Church, Saint Clement of Rome, in Des Peres, Missouri, we are invited to reflect on a passage from the letter of Peter Paul entitled “We are built of Living Stone” (2:1-17). Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on Joshua, son of Nun, by Origen, priest.

The annual observance of the dedication of a church celebrates the mystery of the living Church, that is, the people of God in pilgrimage to the new Jerusalem. It is desirable that the faithful of the entire congregation come together to celebrate the Eucharist.

Origen of Alexandria was a second century priest also known as Origen Adamantius. He was an early Christian scholar, aesthetic, and theologian. He was also a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2000 treaties in multiple branches of theology and spirituality. He is one of the most influential and controversial figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and aestheticism (a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and the nature of art). He has been described as "the greatest genius the early Church ever produced".