“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”

john 2:16

John 2:13-22

Reflection

Jesus clears out the marketplace set up in the Jerusalem temple, driving out the animals and money-changers with a whip. He tells the people gathered that when they destroy the temple, in three days he will raise it up – referring to his death and resurrection.

While Jesus seems to be acting violently in this Gospel, he is cleaning up his Father’s house and restoring it to a proper place of worship. It is useful to reflect on how we respect our own parish churches, and how we view the sacred space. When we are at church for Mass, private prayer, or an event, are we properly reverent, especially near the altar?

Sometimes we are more focused on being social, rather than respecting and maintaining appropriate silence and reverence when we’re in Jesus’ house. Our society has lost the sense of the sacred, and unfortunately, this occasionally seeps into our churches as well.

This week, be more intentional with your time at church. Pay attention to the sanctuary and tabernacle where Jesus is. Notice the paintings or statues around the church, all contributing to the sacredness of the space. Rather than thinking of your church as a building where you attend Mass, begin thinking of it as a place where you get to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, his presence giving you peace and strength.

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Saint of the Day

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Considered the mother church of all churches, the Lateran Basilica, located in Rome, was originally built in the early 300s by Pope Sylvester I. Having been destroyed various times throughout the centuries, the church as we have it today was rededicated in 1724. This basilica is the official seat of the Pope.