The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high; and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also made an altar of cedar. And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.
–1 Kings 6:20-22
King Solomon is a foreshadowing, or type of Christ in this passage: he made his temple beautiful beyond all imagining, using not only gold but many other precious metals, wood, stone, jewels, and textiles. It was fitting that the Lord of Lords should have the most perfect place to dwell on earth, as He did in Solomon\’s temple within the Ark of the Covenant. The temple itself becomes a foreshadowing of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the House of Gold because she was the all-holy one who gave birth to Jesus. Jesus is the King of Kings, and so it is fitting that He should rest in Mary\’s virginal womb until the time came for His birth, the most pure and immaculate place possible.
Holy Mary, House of Gold, help us all to remember that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us never forget this dignity which is ours, and may it keep us from behaving in ways contrary to the freedom that a child of God should have.
Dominican Life on Lotus Lane 