Friday 19 November 2021

Today is Friday the 19 November, in the 33rd week of Ordinary time.
 
One Hope Project sing, ‘Where the Lord Dwells’.
 
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.
 
Luke 19:45-48
 
Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; and he said, ‘It is written,
“My house shall be a house of prayer”;
   but you have made it a den of robbers.’
Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.
 
Jesus enters the Temple, an impressive building in Jerusalem in its day.
  A place celebrating His Father’s presence among the people, set apart and dedicated to God.
 
Why do you think Jesus reacts as He does? What feelings rise in you as you see Jesus angry? Are you disturbed or encouraged?
 
Remember a time in your life when you expressed anger.
What was the result? Did it help bring about change for the good?
 
Jesus says “My house will be a house of prayer”. What do you believe Jesus would want to clear from your life, in order to remove distractions from your times of prayer and meeting with him?
 
As we listen to this dramatic scene again, imagine how the traders felt and consider their reaction to Jesus.
 
What words of Jesus have you hung on to, that have special significance to you? You may like to journal some today.
 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.