The Prayer of Dedication from today's first reading is made in the Temple that Solomon has just built. It is both a personal prayer of Solomon, as well as a prayer of intercession on behalf of his people. He is mindful of the covenant God has made with His people, as well as God's kindness towards the servants of God. At this Dedication of the Temple, Solomon brings home the truth that God's dwelling is in heaven. Yet God deigns to allow the Temple to be built and over it said, ''My name shall be there.'' Through the Temple, the people could meet with God, confess their sins, be forgiven, and live in a reconciled, vibrant relationship with God. Fast forward to the Responsorial Psalm, we have the words of someone, who has this deep longing for the house of God, which in his present circumstance, he is not able to access.

Reflecting on these two passages, let us ask ourselves, what does our regular presence in church mean for us? Indeed, it is a sacred place - of worship, of receiving the sacraments, of listening to the Word of God, of participating in the different rites of life… So, if all these are so meaningful, why do our minds wander so much during Mass, why are some of us so glued to our handphones? Are we cut to the heart when we hear Jesus say, "This people honours Me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from Me."