Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

“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.”

We should all be consumed with zeal for our God. He should be the first thing we think of in the morning. He should be at the center of our every thought, word, and work throughout the day. He should be the one we turn to at the end of each day for forgiveness and the strength to be better people. We should cast out everything within us that does not lead us to a deeper relationship with God, just as Jesus cast out those who we defiling his Father’s house. And once we have accomplished this, we shall have nothing to fear because even if the temple of our body is destroyed, we shall have confidence that we shall rise again.

Are we willing to rid ourselves of those things that keep us from being a worthy temple for the Holy Spirit? How do we express our zeal for our Heavenly Father? What can we do to unite ourselves with the sacrificial spirit of Jesus?

O Lord, fill us with zeal for you.

Amen.