Daily Readings - Fri Nov 24 2017

First Reading - 1 Maccabees 4.36-37, 52-59

³⁶Then Judas and his brothers said: "Behold, our enemies have been crushed. Let us go up now to cleanse and renew the holy places.³⁷And all the army gathered together, and they ascended to Mount Zion⁵²And they arose before the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, (which is the month of Kislev) in the one hundred and forty-eighth year⁵³And they offered sacrifice, according to the law, on the new altar of holocausts that they made⁵⁴According to the time and according to the day, on which the Gentiles had contaminated it, on the same day, it was renewed with canticles, and lutes, and lyres, and cymbals⁵⁵And all the people fell upon their faces, and they adored, and they blessed, toward heaven, him that had prospered them⁵⁶And they kept the dedication of the altar for eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation and praise⁵⁷And they adorned the face of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. And they dedicated the gates and the adjoining chambers, and they set up doors on them⁵⁸And there was very great rejoicing among the people, and the disgrace of the Gentiles was averted⁵⁹And Judas, and his brothers, and all the assembly of Israel decreed that the day of the dedication of the altar must be kept in its time, from year to year, for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev, with joy and gladness

Gospel - Luke 19.45-48

Luke

Chapter 19

⁴⁵And entering into the temple, he began to cast out those who sold in it, and those who bought⁴⁶saying to them: "It is written: ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ But you have made it into a den of robbers.⁴⁷And he was teaching in the temple daily. And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, and the leaders of the people were seeking to destroy him⁴⁸But they could not find what to do to him. For all the people were listening to him attentively

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the theme of purification and the restoration of sacred spaces. In the first reading from 1 Maccabees, we hear the story of Judas and his brothers who, after a great victory, rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple had been desecrated by the Gentiles, but through their efforts, it was cleansed and restored to its former glory. The people rejoiced, knowing that God’s presence was once again honored in the holy place. This passage reminds us of the importance of preserving the sanctity of sacred spaces, both physically and spiritually. In the Gospel, Jesus takes bold action by cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem. He drives out the merchants and money changers, declaring, “My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” Jesus’ action was not just about physical cleanliness but about restoring the Temple’s true purpose as a place of prayer and encounter with God. This reading challenges us to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not allowing worldly distractions or sins to desecrate the “temple” of our hearts, which are meant to be dwelling places for the Holy Spirit. Both readings call us to reflect on how we honor God in our lives. Just as the Temple in Jerusalem needed to be purified and restored, we too must continually cleanse our hearts and minds to make room for God’s presence. This means letting go of distractions, sins, and anything that takes us away from prayer and a deep relationship with God. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to create a sacred space within ourselves, where God can dwell and guide us. May we, like Judas and his brothers, rejoice in the restoration of what is holy, and may we, like Jesus, have the courage to purify our lives and return to God with all our hearts.