1.- Prophet Haggai´s message can be resume in this manner: Rebuild the house! Year 520 b.C is in course. It is the epoch after the exile. Cyrus´ edict (538 b.C.) had allowed to the jews exiled in Babylon to come back to his country. Palestine new community lives in a precarious situation. A governor, named by the Persian Empire, and a High Priest scarcely autonomous, administrates it. The temple is ruinous. The prophet Haggai has the mission of awakening the hope and to raise the spirit. In our epoch, his message inspires to John the XXIII the renovation represented by the Council. But, what does it mean now?
2.- The first day of the sixth month, a key date, Lord´s word was addressed to Zerubbabel, Judah´s governor, and to Joshua, High Priest, by prophet Haggai: This people claims that the time to rebuild the House of Yahweh has not yet come. (Hg 1,1-2). God´s word denounces the difficulties created by a false prudence, the permanent delay and the wounding contrast: there are those comfortably living, but their blazoned homes contrast with the temple ruins and the precarious situation of the new community (Hg 1, 3-4).
3.- Present situation is sterile: a conscience undertaking is required: Think about your ways: you have sown much but harvested little, you eat and drink but you are not satisfied, you clothe yourselves but still fill cold, and the labourer put the money he earned in a tattered purse (Hg 1, 5-6). The long draughtiness is a signal reflecting the situation: You expected much but it turned out to be very little. I blew away what you had piled up. Why? - God´s oracle- because my House lies in ruins while each of you goes running home. Therefore the heavens have withheld rain and the earth has not produced anything (Hg 1, 9-10).
4.- God´s word orders to rebuild the House: Go to the mountain and look for wood to rebuild the House (Hg 1,8). The governor, the high priest and all the rest of the people listened God´s word. The Lord moved his spirit and they started the work. It was the 24th of the sixth month (Hg 1, 12-15), another key date. From the temple destruction, 67 years had gone away. The ancients who had contemplated the first House, weep full of emotion ( Ezra 3,12).
5.- The day 21st of the seventh month, God´s word, proclaimed by prophet Haggai, raise the following question: Is there left among you one of those who saw this house long ago in the time of its glory? What do they thing of what they see now? Is it not a very little thing? (Hg 2,3). God´s word provokes the awakening of many of many slept spirits. Courage words are listened, based in God´s rescuer action, like in the exodus: Begin to work, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for my spirits is in your midst (Hg 2,4).
6.- The moment is, really, unique. God´s action will come accompanied by signals in heaven and in earth: Within a short while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the continents. Then I will shake all the nations and bring in the treasures of the whole world, I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh. I will have as much silver and gold as I wish. The renown of this Temple will be greater than before, and in this place I will give peace (Hg 2, 6-9).
7.- But three months later, the 24th day of the ninth month, a setback is produced. Discouragement appears. The announced signals do not appear. The priests are the ones to who correspond to discern what is happening. If one purifies the contact with something impure and touches it again, what is the result of having been purified? That happens to this people, says the Lord: All they offer here, all is unclean (Hg 2,14). The people disturbs to himself. Are we in a setback and involution ecclesial moment? Is the ecclesial renovation contaminated? Is conversion and purification needed?
8.- The 24th of the same month, the ninth, the Lord repeats his word, he again announces the commotion that will accompany God´s victory upon the adverse powers: I will overthrow the thrones of the kings and destroy the power of nations… On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel… and for me you will be like a ring on my finger. (Hg 2,21-23). Like a ring with my initials on it, the elected king will be in the hand of the Lord and the new community will reflect God´s plans upon the world.
9.- In our time, Haggai´s message inspires to John XXIII the Church renovation. “The idea about the council, says pope John, did not ripen in myself like a prolonged meditation, but like a flower of an unexpected spring”. In fact, the 20th of January 1959 he is surprised with a great grace; thanks to which he sees “some simple and no complex ideas of immediate execution… with a large scope and responsibility for the future” It was, at last, only to “receive Lord´s good inspirations in a simply and confidently way”.
10.- John XIII announces the 25th of January 1959 in Saint Paul Basilica, the Council celebration, at the end of a week of prayer for Christian’s unity. The 13th of November 1960 begins the Council most firm and fundamental preparatory phase. The Pope says: “The first man surprised by my proposal was myself, without anybody making me any indication on that matter. And I must say that afterwards everything seemed to me quite natural in its immediate and continuous development. After three years of diligent preparation, here I already am at the feet of the sacred mountain. I pray the Lord to help me to carry it out to a good end” (1)
11.- Council objective is as follows: “The work of the new Ecumenical Council truly trends entirely to make shine in the Jesus Church’s face the most simple and pure features of its origin” (2). Renovation sends to the splendour of origins, it means the return to the fountains of the original communitarian experience.
12.- It was not an easy task and courage was necessary. There are no little difficulties. “Papal madness” was mentioned. To John XXIII corresponds to raise the courage: “We must fill ourselves of courage… No, Christ, Son of God and our Saviour, has not retired from the world that he has redeemed, and the Church that He has founded, unique, catholic and apostolic, continuous to be His mystic body”. He is with us.
13.- Convening to the renovation, John XXIII updates the prophetic hopes: “Doesn’t it not seem to you that you are hearing the echo of a far voice that reaches our ears and our hearts? Arise, shine, for your light has come. The Glory of Yahweh rises upon you (Is 60,1). The remote Isaiah offers us the notes of a triumphal song, which collects the echoes of the melodious fervour that rises from all languages, tribes and peoples. In effect, from Council´s announcement, “ a spiritual current stirred the souls with unusual vibrations” (3).
14.- An ambassador asked John XXIII what did he hope from the Council, to what he answered: “The Council? – he said approaching the window and making a gesture of opening it – I hope from it a little fresh air… It is necessary to shake the imperial dust that has been accumulating from Constantine upon San Peter´s throne”. For many, certainly a madness; also for many, a truth purifying the temple.
15.- What did it mean to Jesus to rebuild the House? First place, to purify it: It should be the house of prayer for everybody; it has turned into a den of thieves (Mk 11,17; see Jer 7,11). The disciples remember that it is written down: Zeal of your House devours me like a fire (Jn 2,17; Ps 69). The temple must be purified; even more, it should be substituted (Jn 2,13.22). The new temple will be built in spirit and truth (Jn 4,24), with living stones (1 P 2, 5); it will be community. In this manner appears the first Christian community (Acts 2,42-49), key of the council´s renovation (LG 13 and DV 10).
* Dialogue: What does it mean to rebuild the House? What does it mean to renew the Church? What does it mean to constitute a community reflecting the God´s plans over the world?