The Building of the First

👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾 Lesson on the Building of the First #Church, Dedicated to Our Lady, the Holy Virgin #Mary Beloved in Christ, as we gather in the spiritual assembly of the faithful, let us reflect upon a momentous event in the history of our faith: the construction of the first church, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, who by her profound humility and obedience became the Mother of God, the new Eve and the Queen of Heaven. This edifice not only stands as a monument of veneration of the Mother of God but also as a testament to the unity and continuity of the Church, the mystical body of Christ. The Historical Context The construction of this first church, sanctified in honor of Our Lady, occurred in the fourth year following her Assumption into Heaven. It was during this time that the holy apostles Paul and Barnabas were engaged in their apostolic mission in Philippi, teaching, converting, and baptizing those who were once gentiles but had come to embrace the faith. Divine Revelation and Apostolic Commission As recorded, the apostles, facing the spiritual needs of the newly baptized, sought divine guidance, leading to a miraculous event. Our Lord Jesus Christ, accompanied by His Mother and a celestial host of angels, made a divine descent upon Philippi. This theophany was not merely a display of divine might but a pedagogical event wherein Christ Himself instructed the apostles on the sacred architecture of the church, reflecting heavenly realities on earth. The Miraculous Construction In a demonstration of divine power and a symbol of the unity of the Trinity, three stones were miraculously united and transformed into the foundation of this church. The Lord Himself commanded the dimensions and the structure, manifesting the walls from these stones as if they were wax turned by divine fire into solid form. This act not only signifies the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but also the foundational truth that the Church is built upon the apostolic faith and sanctified by the presence of God. Theological Significance This event holds profound theological significance, illustrating the church not as a mere building but as a living testament to the faith. The church’s walls, constructed by divine action, and its foundation, sanctified by apostolic witness and martyrdom, echo the words of the Apostle Paul, declaring the church as "the body and fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 1:23). Thus, the physical church is a symbol of the living Church, composed of all the faithful, whose cornerstone is Christ Himself. The Feast and Its Celebrations The feast commemorating this divine instruction and the subsequent construction of the church is a day of great joy and veneration, marked not only by the celebration of the Eucharist but also by the remembrance of the unity between the celestial and terrestrial. It is a reaffirmation of our Lady’s role in our salvation and her perpetual intercession on behalf of all believers. Conclusion In concluding this reflection on the building of the first church in honor of the Virgin Mary, let us recall that each stone placed, each prayer uttered, and each church built in her name are not mere acts of historical significance but are alive with the spiritual reality they represent. These sacred spaces are consecrated for the worship of God and serve as beacons of the heavenly Jerusalem here on earth. May this lesson on the divine architecture of the first church dedicated to Our Lady inspire us to greater devotion and deeper understanding of our faith, leading us to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received, in the shadow of the Mother of God and under the guidance of her divine Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always. May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us. Amen. © John's Repentance Reach out to us on our social media platforms and share it with your friends: https://linktr.ee/johnsrepentance