REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR 1 24TH NOVEMBER 2023

REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR 1 24TH NOVEMBER 2023

1Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59; 1Chron.29; Luke 19:45-48

Cleanse the Temple in its Entirety

The temple was the center of life for the Jews. It was their pride and their heritage. It gave them that exclusive feeling that they are the people of God. It was one reason and place that could gather all the people together. When Jesus mourned their admiration of the temple it was not because the temple itself bore no significance but because the people’s worship was not authentic.

It is the inauthenticity of their worship that is displayed in today’s gospel reading. Since the temple could bring together the entire people, some saw it as an opportunity to sell their goods. They must have thought to themselves that there is no other better place to access many customers than in the temple. Their sense of worship was distorted by economic gains.

Many Christians, having come across Jesus’ reaction, tend to think that the action of Jesus is a lesson for the Church’s ministers alone, namely, that the house of God must not be used for buying and selling. This is true but not completely true. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is both a sign and a reality. It is a reality in that we must reserve the house of God for prayer alone. It is also a sign in that, Jesus was also referring to the cleansing of our bodies which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

If we cleanse the physical temple and leave the bodily temple stained, we have not practiced what Jesus taught. How often have we used our bodies for economic gains at the expense of spiritual worship? This goes beyond human trafficking, child abuse and all others; it extends also to being so preoccupied with making a living to the extent that we have no time for the things of God. God is the owner of all life and time too. If we are not using them to serve him well, then we too are guilty of "selling in the house of God" .

Again, this action of Jesus invites us to evaluate our motifs for going to Church. Some people go to Church to hook up with friends, soul mate, sin partners, business partners and so many other reasons. The moment these persons they hook up with are no longer available in the church, they lose interest in going to Church. Do not be deceived, idols are mostly served in the Church. When our presence in Church is devoid of the full and authentic desire to worship God, we are guilty of idolatry.