Thirty-Third Friday of Ordinary Time

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

The temples of our hearts need the same cleansing as the Temple area in Jerusalem during Jesus’ time and just like Jesus, we need to drive out those things that are not in accord with God’s Will. We need to make ourselves into houses of prayer with the incense of our prayers rising up to God in thanksgiving and praise. We cannot do this if we harbor sins within our hearts. We cannot do this if we live lives of sin. To transform ourselves into worthy temples to God, we need to rid ourselves of our pride, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth. Then and only then can we make room for God to enter into our hearts, minds, and bodies and triumph over sin and death.

What sins do we need to cleanse from our hearts? How can we prepare ourselves to be true houses of prayer? Are we ready to live lives of virtue?

O Lord, make us temples of your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.