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.
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for the repose of the soul of Emile, Emil and Lydia Moses.
Today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
In this past year, I haven't been to Sunday Mass at my home parish much. I have had the chance to travel a lot this year, which includes a lot of travel to places here in the United States. Everywhere I have gone, I have felt like I am at home. Regardless of the charism of the community, I have felt like I was at home. Where the Eucharist is present, I am at home.
I also had the chance to go to Mass in various places in Italy, including the Chrism Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. Although the Mass was spoken in Italian (except at the Chrism Mass, which seemed to have a lot of Latin), I still felt at home.
It is good to know that the Church is our Home; it is good to know that where Jesus is truly present, we are at Home. Hopefully we will one day be at home with Him in heaven.
Until that day, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus is still the Church's groom. As such, He will "drive out" those who desire to defile His Bride, or degrade His Bride by making her any less than Who she is. He will sacrifice Himself for the purity of His Bride ... for the purity of Our Home.
Let us, then, treat the Church with the dignity She deserves, for Christ is the protector of Her dignity. Let us treat our Home with love and respect, for it is the Home of Our Lord.
As we celebrate the Feast of the "Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput" (The mother of all the churches in the city and in the world – and their head), let us be grateful for our Home. Take care and God Bless.
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