18
Nov
Nov
Reflection: Luke 19: 45-48
The temple of Jerusalem made of stones expressed the religious structure of Israel. In the minds of people, generally the Temple was the focal point and physical embodiment of their whole religious and cultural system. To attack the Temple was to do violence against Israel and to attack God. By driving out the traders Jesus symbolically stopped the whole sacrificial activity within the temple. Because the temple authorities have promoted a wrong idea about God to their people. The ordinary people were taught a wrong catechism, showing a distorted face of God. In the name of maintaining ritual purity of the temple, they promoted selling of sacrificial animals. They promoted a God who could be appeased by sacrificing animals. The rich could sacrifice bigger animals while the poor had to satisfy with the sacrifice of doves. The money used in the market for daily usage could not be offered in the temple because it carried the image of the emperor and that could make the temple impure. Therefore, the money changers were a necessity there too. No wonder, the place of prayer had soon turned into a market. The message is relevant for Christians today, because the temple is a symbol of the Church. The Church will always suffer the temptation of worldliness and the temptation of power. This is not a power that comes from Jesus. Jesus calls it “a den of robbers” because the temple authorities were robbing the poor even in the name of giving sacrifices and offerings to God! Pope Francis says, “there is always the temptation of corruption within the Church”. One falls into it when, “instead of being attached to fidelity to the Lord Jesus, the Lord of peace, joy and salvation, one is seduced by money and power”. The priests and leaders in the Church may not directly do business in the Church but, they may be connected to the people who actually do the business. This connection may bring them a profit – for allowing them to do the business even in the Holy Places. Pope calls it the “Holy Bribe!” Those who opposed Jesus did not know what to do because all the people hung on every word that Jesus spoke, listening. The strength of Jesus was his word, his testimony and his love. When you cling on to every word that comes from the mouth of Jesus, there is no place for worldliness, no place for corruption”. This is the struggle each one of us faces, the daily struggle of the Church: to always hang on his every word, to hear his word; and never to seek security in material wealth and riches. After all, “you cannot serve two masters: either God or riches; God or power”.