Homily for Friday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th November, 2021

 Homily for Friday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th November, 2021.

Readings: 1 Macc. 4:36-37.52-59;  Ps. 1Chron. 29:10-12; Luke:19:45-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, CLEANSE THE TEMPLE OF OUR SOUL ONCE AGAIN FROM SINS AND CORRUPTION

The Temple as we know is described as the sacred dwelling place of God. That’s sacred space where humanity encounter the Divine presence of God. It is a symbolic space where God desires to live together with humanity and rule the world through them. Therefore it is very important to ensure that such Sacred Space (Temple) is kept sacred at all times. 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, we heard a very brief story of how Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem and drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple saying: “My house must be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into ‘a den of thieves’.” So he chased out all the dishonest, selfish and greedy merchants who are making profits by cheating the faithful pilgrims who came to the Temple to worship God.

Here Jesus was not just concerned with cleansing of the temple of Jerusalem, but also the temple of human’s heart, that is, our souls. He is objecting to corruption of the sacred. Our body and soul are temple of the Lord and belong to him alone. It is a sacred space, a house of prayer which must not be given over to the false gods of money, greed and sin. Just as we  heard in our first reading today how Judas and his  brothers after defeating their enemies who wished to force them to defile the temple of God said:  Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it. So, the whole people fell prostrate in adoration, praising to the skies him who had made them so successful. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts, communion sacrifices and thanksgivings God.

Dear friends, by clearing the Temple, the Lord has also urged us all to clear our own spiritual temples, that is our body, mind, heart and soul, in which God dwells. For our souls are sacred dwelling of God’s Temple. Thus, it must be made sacred at all times by ensuring that we get rid of all corruptions, wickedness, pride, ego, greed, wrath, unforgiveness and all other sorts of evils within us. We must resist them and strive to inspire and help one another to keep our Temple sacred. For Jesus wishes to cleanse the temple of our soul by removing what has corrupted it, in order to purify it for worship, and making it a dwelling place for prayer. But are we willing to let him cleanse us?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are your temple, yet we have let the selfish desires for the things of this passing world to corrupt us so deeply. As we embrace your Words today, may we experience the joy of the purification of our body and soul. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.