The Gospel According to John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Reflection: Founded in the year 324, it is the oldest public church in the city of Rome, and the oldest basilica of the Western world. It houses the cathedra of the Roman bishop, and the title of the ecumenical mother church of our Roman Catholic church. The church of St. john Lateran, the Cathedral Church of the city of Rome. It is the church of the Pope as he is the Bishop of Rome.
In today’s gospel, Jesus defines this as his Father’s house, and he does so with the rath that was more ‘Moses like’ than his normal soft spoken loving self. The Temple’s central purpose, worship of God, was cast aside for social and economic gains. And Jesus’ response was a righteous anger fueled by zeal for reestablishing His Father’s rightful place. He would soon be consummated in the sacrifice of himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Temple represents the human heart. Jesus desires to cleanse the idols in our hearts that stand at the center in place of the Father.
Action of the Day: Today, by God’s grace let us reflect on how we can contribute to the making of our heart’s, our home, and our Church Community a place of true worship, reverence, and love.
Audio Reflection:
DEACON5 