20/11/2020 Reflection 1021 (Fr. Joseph D' Souza OP on Luke 19:45-48)

Like us on Facebook at   / dominicanministriesgoa   write to us: [email protected] Website: www.dominicans.in The gospel of this day is taken from Lk 19:45-48 in which we encounter quite strangely though, an angry Jesus, a restless Jesus and an aggressive Jesus which reminds the onlookers the old testament prophecy: “the zeal for your house consumes me” Ps 69: 9 Those coming to the Temple needed to buy animals for the sacrifices and they needed to change their Roman coins into acceptable Jewish currency (shekels) to make their contributions to the Temple. Jesus had no problem about that. What he objected to was that this business was being carried on inside God’s house when it could just as well have been done outside. We can feel the growing tension, as Jesus forcefully challenges the way things were done in the holiest place of Judaism. It is so easy to lose sight of the real value of religious actions and rituals, ending up sometimes in shameful compromises. What Jesus is objecting to is corruption of the sacred. For our reflection let us take this text along with the phrase from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” My body and my soul are a temple of the Lord and belong to the Lord. Is this temple a sacred space, a house of prayer? Or is it given over to the false gods of money and greed? Do I abuse my body and expect the temple of God to be clean and tidy? Just as I am the temple of God, so are my brothers and sisters. They are also created in the “image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:27). Do I respect my brothers and sisters as I respect the temple of God? Do I see the presence of God in others? Today and every day, let us recognise the presence of God in me and others, and give respect to others which is their due. These days we are not able to go to the churches to pray or celebrate the eucharist in our churches due to the scare of corona virus. This is the best time to realise the truth that we are the temples of God, God dwells in each one of us and therefore, not just we must keep our bodies holy but respect others as well. Let us pray for this grace. #dominicanmediamission #DOMINICANFRIARSINDIA