Lawrencia, who ran training courses for women in Liberia, reflected on this reading for us.
“Take all of this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market. ”
We see a different side to Jesus in this gospel passage. Here he is filled with righteous fury when he sees how people are busy making money in his Father’s house.
Lawrencia Baidoo who ran training courses for the women in Liberia who clean, store and sell fish, shares her thoughts on this reading:
“I believe that when it comes to the house of God, he doesn’t take it for play. He values his temple. …. If you go to his temple with a dirty heart, or without forgiving somebody… holding grudges against your friend… your heart is not clear and you are not purified.”
The money changers and sellers are exploiting pilgrims who come to Jerusalem to worship. They make profit out of people’s piety and change the Temple from a place of prayer to one of commerce.
Jesus is outraged. He will not have holiness become just another commodity that is sold.
In our current world of sound bites, social media and short attention spans, we must be careful that we do not approach our faith in the same way.
In the Instrumentum Laboris for last year’s Synod, we were reminded: “Mission is not the marketing of a religious product, but the construction of a community in which relationships are a manifestation of God’s love and therefore whose very life becomes a proclamation.” (#52)
Let us consider then, how we can enter God’s house with the right intentions, how we can build community in our lives, and how our relationships with others proclaim God’s love for all.
God of wisdom, help us to build meaningful relationships with one another, with the earth and with you, so that together we may build a fairer world and proclaim to all people the greatness of your love. Amen.
Join us on Zoom every Thursday morning as we pray the rosary together as a CAFOD community.
Join us as we pray the Joyful mysteries of the rosary for the Care of Creation together as a CAFOD community.
We offer these joyful mysteries, nourishing our commitment to care for the earth.
