The question of where the true church resides is more relevant than ever, as many people attend church services, follow daily prayers, and maintain religious routines yet still experience a profound sense of spiritual emptiness. A Zimbabwean preacher, Joshua Maponga’s poignant words, “Stop going to church; there is no church there. First, look into the church within you, and then take your church to church,” invite us to reassess how we engage with our faith. His message challenges us to go beyond superficial practices and reflect on the authenticity of our spiritual lives, reminding us that true worship does not lie in physical spaces or outward rituals but in the sanctuary of the heart, where the real connection with God is nurtured and sustained.
Throughout the Christian tradition, saints have exemplified this truth, showing that the heart is the first and most important church. Consider the life of St. Francis of Assisi, who famously heard God’s call while praying in the crumbling church of San Damiano. Christ spoke to him, saying, “Francis, go and repair my house, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” Initially, Francis thought this meant he should rebuild the church physically, but over time, he understood that Christ was calling him to renew the church from within, starting with his own heart. St. Francis gave up wealth, prestige, and worldly pleasures to follow Christ with a pure heart. In doing so, he redefined what it meant to live a life of faith, proving that the true transformation of the church begins when we allow our hearts to be the dwelling place of God.
The Christian journey is, above all, a journey of the heart. It is within us that the first church exists. Too often, people gather in religious communities as individuals rather than as a unified body. We show up, but our hearts may be far from the essence of worship. The rituals may be the same, but without sincerity, they lack the transformative power they are meant to hold. Christ Himself lamented this reality when He spoke of those who “honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8). These words still resonate today, as they did centuries ago, urging us to seek a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, one that begins from within.
Consider the story of St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic who emphasised the importance of interior prayer. Teresa spent many years of her early religious life in spiritual dryness, going through the motions of monastic life without feeling God’s presence. Nevertheless, she encountered Christ in the most profound way through deep reflection and contemplative prayer, within her own soul. She wrote about how God dwells within us, describing the soul as a castle with many rooms, the innermost of which is where God Himself resides. Her journey from outward religiosity to inward transformation offers a powerful example of the need to find the church within our hearts before we can fully live it outwardly. Scripture frequently emphasises the heart’s importance in our relationship with God. In Ezekiel 36:26, the Lord promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” This powerful imagery shows that our spiritual lives must begin with inner transformation, a renewal that only God can provide. The heart of stone represents the hardness that accumulates through sin, suffering, or the monotony of religious routine, devoid of personal connection with the Divine. Saints like Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, her spiritual contemporary, experienced deep, dark periods of spiritual desolation, yet they allowed these times to lead them into deeper communion with God, proving that even in suffering, the heart can become a true church.
The preacher’s call to find the church within is a summons to focus on this inner renewal. Before we can genuinely participate in the life of the Church as a community, we must ensure that our hearts are prepared to receive God. It is not simply a question of attending church services but of bringing our whole selves; open, humble, and ready for transformation, into the experience. Jesus made it clear that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there among them (Matthew 18:20). But this gathering is not about numbers; it is about hearts united in faith, ready to welcome His presence. Many Christians can relate to spiritual dryness, even amidst regular participation in religious activities. It is possible to pray daily, attend every church service, and yet feel distant from God. This sense of separation often arises because we place too much emphasis on external rituals, assuming they alone can bring us closer to God. However, if the heart is closed off to the work of the Holy Spirit, these practices remain hollow. The challenge lies in cultivating an openness to God’s transformative power within us.
St. Augustine’s story provides another powerful example of inner transformation. In his youth, Augustine sought fulfilment through worldly pleasures and intellectual pursuits, but his heart remained restless. Only after his conversion, through the prayers of his mother, St. Monica, and his own deep introspection, he famously declared, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You, O Lord.” Augustine’s heart became a living church, filled with the presence of God, through his willingness to let go of worldly desires and turn inward to seek God earnestly. His Confessions remain a testament to the power of an open heart that allows God to dwell fully within. Another challenge many Christians face is the pressure to live up to a Christian identity. There is often a sense of pressure to fit into a particular mould, to be perfect, always to have the right answers, and to never falter in faith. This pressure can lead us to project an image of holiness while our hearts remain distant from God. Jesus warned against this when He rebuked the Pharisees, saying, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). His words remind us that true Christian living is not about appearances but about the condition of the heart.
We are often tempted to focus on what others see rather than what God sees. It is easier to go through the motions of religious life than to face the uncomfortable truth that we need inner transformation. But God is not concerned with outward appearances; He looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Saints like St. Benedict of Nursia, who founded the Benedictine monastic order, understood the importance of balance between outward discipline and inner conversion. The Benedictine motto Ora et labora (pray and work), is rooted in the idea that outward actions must reflect inward devotion. The journey toward a cleansed heart takes work. It requires a willingness to confront the hardness within us: our fears, doubts, and resistance to God’s grace. Yet, it is a journey Christ walks with us every step of the way. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites us, saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He knows our struggles and promises to be with us as we seek to grow in our relationship with Him.
This invitation is one of profound hope. No matter how far we feel from God or how hardened our hearts have become, He is always ready to welcome us back. The first step is acknowledging our need for Him and opening our hearts to His transformative power. When we do this, we begin to experience the peace and joy of living in communion with God. Our faith becomes more than a set of rituals; it becomes a living, breathing relationship with the One who created us. When we gather as a church, we are meant to be more than just a collection of individuals following religious practices. We are called to be the body of Christ, united by His love and grace. But this unity can only happen when we have allowed God to transform our hearts. The early church offers a beautiful example of this kind of community. In Acts 2:46-47, we read, “Every day they continued to meet together… They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God.” Their fellowship was not based solely on ritual; it was the natural outpouring of hearts touched by the love of Christ.
In our churches today, we should strive for this same kind of community. But it begins with each of us. When we allow God to soften our hearts and cleanse us from sin and selfishness, we can come together as individuals seeking God and as a unified body, reflecting His love for the world. The true church is not merely a building or a set of rituals. It is a community of hearts transformed by God’s love. As Christians, we are called not just to attend church but to be the church. This begins with an inward journey, examining our hearts, inviting God to remove the hardness within us, and allowing Him to replace it with His grace and love. When we do this, we carry the church within us wherever we go. And when we gather together, we are no longer a collection of individuals but a true community united in Christ. Let us stop going to church and start being the church, beginning with our hearts. Only then can we experience the fullness of God’s presence in our lives and our communities.
God bless you Brother Bernard CSC