Reflection for November 9, Monday, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica: John 2:13-22

Gospel: John 2:13-22

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace. His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

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Reflection:

Today is the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran: The official church of the Holy Father.

Why is Jesus so angry? Because they have desecrated the holiest place of worship: the temple. It was a marketplace to say the least; they were not simply selling and dealing goods there.

There were other things that were evolving: greed, deceit and many more that made Jesus really mad. Jesus told them: “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace (John 12:16).” Don’t we hear Jesus speaking to us too? Telling us the same words born out of His anger from what He saw in the temple area or from what we do when we are at church?

How do we behave when we are at church most specifically when we are inside the church? The church is our sacred place of worship a place where we encounter God. Thus, we must observe proper discipline when we are inside or within its vicinity.

Do we still deep our finger into the Holy water font, make the sign of the cross and genuflect before entering the church? Do we still sit quietly and pray to Jesus while our eyes are fixed on the tabernacle?

Our church is our safe refuge when we are troubled by our many worries. This is where we encounter and receive Jesus during Holy Mass. Therefore we must observe proper discipline when we are in this Sacred and Holy place of worship. – Marino J. Dasmarinas