47 Every day he taught at the Temple. The head cohanim, the Torah-teachers and the leaders of the people tried to find a way of putting an end to him; 48 but they couldn’t find any way of doing it, because all the people were hanging onto his every word.
33rd Week in Ordinary Time
My house shall be a house of prayer. (Luke 19:46)Jesus had a very close association with the Temple. Having traveled there each year for Passover, he was doubtless familiar with its grounds and its practices. He had even spent three days there as something of a runaway when he was twelve years old. His parents probably had bought their small animal sacrifice from the merchants in the Temple’s outer courts—the very merchants whose tables he overthrew in today’s Gospel reading!
This visit to the Temple turned out to be something altogether different. This time, Jesus chased out the merchants and money changers who had been plying their trades there for years. He even staged a bit of a takeover of the Temple, showing up there every morning and teaching the people who came to him (Luke 19:47). Why take action now?
We need to look at a bit of history to understand Jesus’ gesture here. It seems that the merchants’ stalls were set up in the part of the Temple that had been reserved for Gentiles. It was the only place where they could worship the God of Israel, but it had been overrun with the noise and bustle of commerce. Now, just days before his arrest, Jesus wanted to make the point that everyone, even non-Jews, should be given the opportunity to worship the Lord. He also pointed to his death on the cross, when he would “break down the dividing wall of enmity” between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14). So out went the money changers, and down came their tables.
This is good news! In Christ, everyone is welcome to worship God. No one need ever be kept away again. Jesus wants everyone to be free to encounter him. He, the living Temple of the Lord, is now open to the public.
For us today, it can be tempting to think that our practice of religion is meant just for our current parish members. But nothing could be further from the truth! Instead of waiting for outsiders to wander in on their own, we need to go out to them and make them feel welcome. It’s what Jesus did, and it’s what he is asking us to do as well.
“Jesus, help your Church be a light to all who seek you. Teach me how to shine that light to everyone around me.”[Amen!]
1 Maccabees 4: Cleansing and dedication of the temple
36 At that time Judas and his brothers said, “Look, our enemies have been crushed. Let’s go up to cleanse and rededicate the sanctuary.” 37 All the army gathered together and went up to Mount Zion.
52 They rose early in the morning of the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.[a] It was the year 148. 53 They offered sacrifice, following the Law, on the new altar for entirely burned offerings that they had made. 54 In the very season, on the exact day that the Gentiles had polluted it, it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and cymbals. 55 All the people bowed to the ground and worshipped and blessed heaven, which had given them success.
56 So they celebrated the rededication of the altar for eight days and joyfully made entirely burned offerings. They offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with gold crowns and small shields. They restored the gates and the priests’ chambers, furnishing them with doors. 58 The people were extremely glad, and the disgrace the Gentiles brought was lifted.
59 Then Judas, with his brothers and all the assembly of Israel, laid down a law that every year at that season the dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and happiness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of Kislev.[1 Maccabees 4:59 November–December]
(Psalm) 1 Chronicles 29:10 as he blessed Adonai before the entire community: “Blessed be you, Adonai, the God of Isra’el our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Adonai, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Adonai; and you are exalted as head over all. 12 Riches and honor come from you, you rule everything, in your hand is power and strength, you have the capacity to make great and to give strength to all.
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