“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Friday, 24th November 2017,
Thirty Third Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Sts. Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions, Martyrs
1 Mac 4:36-37,52-59
1 Chr 29: 10-12 (K) 13
Lk: 19:45-48
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE OF GOD
In the first reading, we see Judas and his brothers along with their army going up to mount Zion to cleanse the sanctuary. Christian writers compare the desecrated temple to a soul, desecrated by sin and the rededication of the temple to the reconciliation of the soul with God. The temple had four courts: four special areas of worship for priests, men, women and Gentiles. Soon the quiet atmosphere of the court of the gentiles degenerated into a noisy market.
When temple authorities did not step in, Jesus did. Jesus enters and drives the merchants out, his act of judgment in the temple is meant to be a warning to the people that God takes worship seriously. Jesus was angry and even violent on this occasion, crying out: “my house shall be a house of prayer but you have turned it into a den of robbers”. Jesus desires to root out all evil within the temple of our world, and He desires to root out all evil in the temple of our hearts.
Each soul is a temple that should be set aside solely for the glory of God and the fulfillment of His holy will. Therefore, today’s Gospel passage is fulfilled today if we allow our Lord to enter in and to see the evil and filth within our own souls. This may not be easy to do and will require a true humility and surrender, but the end result will be cleansing and purification by our Lord. When the Holy Spirit came into us at baptism, he drove out sin from our hearts to make of us a temple for God. With his help, we have to make sure that this temple is not defiled. For we know that whenever we sin we hurt God.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that Jesus desires to bring about purification in many ways. He desires to purify the Church as a whole, each society and community, your own family and especially your own soul. Do not be afraid to let Jesus’ holy wrath work its power. Pray for purification on all levels and let Jesus accomplish His mission.
Prayer: Lord, I do pray for the purification of our world, our Church, our families and most especially my own soul. I invite You to come to me this day to reveal to me what it is that grieves You the most. I invite You to root out, in my heart, all that is displeasing to You. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.