November 21, 2014 Friday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Mary1st Reading: Rv 10:8-11
Gospel: Lk 19:45–48
Jesus entered the Temple area and began to drive out themerchants. And he said to them, “God says in the Scriptures: My houseshall be a house of prayer: but you have turned it into a den ofrobbers.” (…)
DD@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Jesus vehemently protested the brisk business conducted within the Temple precincts. He exclaimed: “God says in the Scriptures: My house shall be a house of prayer: but you have turned it into a den ofthieves.” Did Jesus equate vending with theft? Are thieves considered persona non grata in God’s house?
The first question must be answered in the negative because business, if conducted honestly, greases the gears of the engine of economy making it possible for people to live decent lives. Jesus couldn’t have intended to ban money-changing activities in the Temple precincts because Jewish laws allowed no foreign coins into the donation box of the Temple. It was also important that there were animals sold for the Temple sacrifice because there were strict requirements for an animal to qualify as sacrificial offerings. What Jesus was angry about was the overpricing of products and services at exorbitant proportions. They deserved to be called thieves for indeed they robbed even indigent worshippers of their hard earned money.
To answer the second question we must make some distinctions. Remember that in the gospels Jesus made a categorical promise of salvation only to a thief (a big time thief) at Calvary. One may ask what is a notorious thief doing up there in heaven when thieves of lesser caliber (like those corrupt vendors inside the Temple precincts) are persona non grata in holy places here on earth? Repentance spells the difference. While the ‘thieves’ at the Temple were enriching themselves at the expense of worshippers, the thief crucified at Calvary was a repentant thief.
Today’s Gospel makes us guilty. Let’s talk about misdemeanors that partake of the nature of theft in an analogous manner. We steal respect from God when we dress presentably at parties but appear so shabbily clad at Masses. We steal from fellow church-goers the ambience conducive to prayer when we do scandalous acts at Masses such as using our cell phones. We steal time from God when we come late for the Eucharistic celebration.
With rampant theft going on literally and figuratively in our housesof prayer, will any worshipper be left after Jesus drives away thievesfrom our houses of prayer? – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org.
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