Where Are You, Lord?

Friday, November 24, 2023

1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59; Lk 19:45-48

Today’s Gospel invites us to think of the placement of God in our lives. 

In his anger and disappointment, Jesus cleanses the temple. But we need to see what forced Jesus to do that. 

Displacing the Gentiles: The merchants operated in the outer courts of the temple, the only area where Gentiles could come and pray. By occupying that space, they forced the Gentiles out of worship. 

Commercializing the Worship: In cooperation with the temple authorities, the merchants sold the ‘approved’ animals, which the visitors were compelled to buy. 

Commercializing the Place: Buying and selling requires promotion and bargaining. Even in our imagination, we can perceive that the whole temple area would have looked like a marketplace. Indeed, it was. 

In short, by cleansing the temple, Jesus seems to be asking them: ‘Where is God’s place in His own temple?’ 

The incident only shows that God was not the center of their lives, though they called themselves religious. Hence, other concerns took over and replaced God. 

We are temples of God. Where does God find His place in us? Have we enthroned or dethroned Him? 

It is no wonder that we grow insensitive to the inner promptings of God. 

God should be the center of our lives, not a marginalized reality!

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar