It is not often that a Biblical book refers to another book of the Bible. Today's passage from Ezra, however, refers to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. The writer of Ezra saw that the re-building of the Temple was not just a material task, not merely a matter for administrators, "the governor and the elders of the 'Jews'." It was essentially a religious work and so had to be carried out in accordance with the word of God. The vocation of the prophets was to receive the word of God and to communicate that word to the people of God. An important undertaking such as re-building the Temple could not be carried out without any relationship to that word. It was the word of God that gave meaning and direction to Israel and to all its enter- prises.

We still read and accept the words of the prophets as the word of God, and we can receive much enlightment from them. For us, however, the word of God has become flesh to live amongst us, and we are called to accept this word of God made flesh, Jesus, into our lives as the source of all meaning and inspiration.