Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 11/9/08 by Trixie

You can find all of this week's Scripture at www.usccb.org/nab/110908.shtml

[Jesus'] disciples recalled the words of scripture,

"Zeal for your house will consume me."

(John 2:17)

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord”. These words were on the big archway going into the Sunday School room in the church I attended as a child. These same words, from Psalm 122, were used at the funeral a few years ago of Helen Morrissey, a lady who played keyboard in local Catholic churches for many years. I can understand why Helen chose them for her funeral. Ever since I started taking organ lessons at age twelve I have spent many hours each week in a church practicing. As a young student it was an hour every morning before school in the local Presbyterian Church. As I moved on to college, a job, marriage, and my own family the particular church changed, but there always was a church. For the past 14 years it has been St. Mary’s in Canandaigua. For me, being in church feels like home, and it is very rare that I am not glad to be there. At St. Mary’s especially, I notice I am not the only one who likes being in the church when it is empty of people. When I am practicing I often see folks slip in quietly for a few minutes of prayer. For all of us there is something very special about being in God’s house.

This week we celebrate the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the Pope’s church, the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. I actually saw this church when I went to Rome a few years ago, and it is quite impressive! All our readings this weekend speak to the place of God’s dwelling. The Old Testament reading, of course, speaks of the temple where our Jewish ancestors would go to worship God. The beautiful part of the reading to me is the image of a river flowing forth from the temple, blessing and giving life to everything it touches on its way to the sea. Should we, as God’s people, be like this river as we leave Mass each week, going out into a world which so desperately needs our fresh water? The Psalm continues the image of water and the unshakable city of God.

St Paul, in our New Testament reading, takes the idea of a temple one step further. We, all of us, are God’s temple. We build one on another, from generation to generation, with Jesus Christ as our foundation. What an awesome responsibility – to be the dwelling place of God!

The Gospel shows us a side of Jesus we don’t see too often. Instead of a loving, kind, shepherd, we see a man full of righteous indignation striding into the temple in Jerusalem. With a whip made of cords he drives the money changers out of the temple. “Zeal for your house will consume me.” That’s what the Old Testament Scripture said. At this point Jesus goes on to foretell his own death, saying that the temple of His Body will be destroyed, but raised again in three days. Can we strive to be like Jesus and make our bodies, like our churches, the dwelling place of God?

Please share with us your thoughts about these readings by posting a comment.