Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 2, 13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
The Lateran Basilica, the Pope’s official seat as Bishop of Rome
1. Vendors. These people went to the temple to negotiate and not to pray. Their intention wasn’t to seek God, but to make deals involving things needed for rituals. Let’s not treat God as someone to bargain with. Avoid thinking, “I’ll attend Mass if You do me this favor.” Don’t try to use God for your own gain, and don’t be upset with God if things don’t go your way.
2. Respect for the Sacred. I’m not suggesting you grab a whip, but I do encourage you to honor and respect sacred spaces. You don’t need to wear a veil or formal attire to Mass, but you should dress and present yourself with dignity—neat, respectful, and well-groomed. I believe that unfortunately, many of us Catholics have lost sight of how to care for our holy places, whether it’s using cell phones during Mass, creating distractions, or neglecting respectful participation and dress. Let’s teach our children to respect God’s house. Let’s focus and participate in Mass, arriving on time, turning off our cell phone, saving conversation for after the Mass and dressing with decorum.
3. Rebuild. God calls us to renew, to begin again, and to act so that the Church may flourish and remain present in today’s world. You and I are the Church, and it needs our support – not just in terms of money, but through our efforts, stewardship, and commitment to making it beautiful. Ask yourself: how am I contributing to my Catholic Church?
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
