20211119 PURIFYING AND REDEDICATING GOD’S TEMPLE
19 November, 2021, Friday, 33rd Week, Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Maccabees 4:36-37,52-59 © |
Judas and his brothers purify the sanctuary and dedicate it
Judas and his brothers said, ‘Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ So they marshalled the whole army, and went up to Mount Zion.
On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, they rose at dawn and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of holocausts which they had made. The altar was dedicated, to the sound of zithers, harps and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the pagans had originally profaned it. The whole people fell prostrate in adoration, praising to the skies him who had made them so successful. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts, communion sacrifices and thanksgivings. They ornamented the front of the Temple with crowns and bosses of gold, repaired the gates and the storerooms and fitted them with doors. There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, and the reproach of the pagans was lifted from them. Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of the dedication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness.
Responsorial Psalm |
1 Chronicles 29:10-12 © |
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Blessed are you, O Lord,
the God of Israel our father,
for ever, for ages unending.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Yours, Lord, are greatness and power,
and splendour and triumph and glory.
All is yours, in heaven and on earth.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom,
you are supreme over all.
Both honour and riches come from you.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
You are the ruler of all,
from your hand come strength and power,
from your hand come greatness and might.
We praise your glorious name, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.2Tim1:10 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn10:27 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 19:45-48 © |
You have turned God's house into a robbers' den
Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’
He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.
PURIFYING AND REDEDICATING GOD’S TEMPLE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 MC 4:36-37, 52-59; LK 19:45-48]
For the people of Israel, the Temple was the pride of their life. We must not forget that when God delivered Israel from their enemies, God was their Lord and King. The people were ruled by judges who acted as representatives of the Lord. They were guided by prophets anointed by the Lord. But soon they clamoured for a king, just like their neighbouring nations. God relented and gave them a king from among themselves. The king of Israel was supposed to act on behalf of God for his people. Hence, the first thing that King David did after uniting the Twelve tribes of Israel was to build the Temple for the Lord. It would be a sign of God’s presence and the life of the people would be centred around the Temple and Temple worship, including the observance of the Mosaic Laws.
Within this context, we can appreciate why the desecration of the Temple by King Antiochus’ men was seen as crossing the red line. They could tolerate foreign rule but not when their Temple was desecrated. As a consequence, they fought with their lives to reclaim the Temple for God. After doing so, with great joy they rededicated the Temple with much pomp and ceremony. We can imagine their pride and gratitude for the restoration of the Temple, which was a symbol not of their faith and religion but God as their only king. “The altar was dedicated to the sound of zithers, harps and cymbals at the same time of year and on the same day on which the pagans had originally profaned it. The whole people fell prostrate in adoration, praising to the skies him who made them so successful. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts, communion sacrifices and thanksgivings.”
However, the desecration of God’s Temple is not necessarily limited to a physical act. It could be a moral act as well. In the gospel, we have the Lord who “went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture.’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.'” This was the same indictment of the people of Israel when Jeremiah said, “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are safe!’ – only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight?” (Jer 7:9-11) Why did Jesus cite from Jeremiah that the Temple has been turned into a robbers’ den? In truth, the real problem was not the necessity of changing the ordinary currency to the Temple shekel or even the sale of animals for the sacrifice. It was the excessive profiteering which caused greater misery to the poor people, making them impossible to fulfil the Mosaic laws.
The Temple was under the control of the Priestly Aristocracy. They were the ones who laid down the rules but they used the Temple worship to enrich themselves instead of helping the people to offer their sacrifices to the Lord. The Temple tax and the sale of animals for the Temple sacrifices were the main sources of revenue for the priests. Each Jew was required to pay half a shekel to the Temple annually. This was equivalent to two days of work for an ordinary labourer. However, it could only be paid using the half shekel from the Temple. No other forms of currency were permitted. As a consequence, there would be a tax for the currency exchange. This tax went into the pockets of the money changers who worked in cahoots with the priests. As for the sale of the animals, these were indeed needed for the Temple sacrifice. But the animals for worship could have been bought for a reasonable price outside the Temple. However, often, the Temple authorities would find fault with the animals bought from outside because it must be without spot or blemish. If they were bought from the Temple, the price could be ten times more than from the market. Isn’t this a form of daylight robbery of the poor pilgrims?
Indeed, the priests were hypocrites. They pretended to worship God and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. But in truth, they were cheating the people of their money and enriching themselves. The leaders during the time of Jeremiah and the religious leaders during the time of our Lord needed to purify their inner Temple first before they could offer a pure sacrifice to God. Jeremiah told the people, “For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.” (Jer 7:5-7)
What is true for them is also true for us. We often mask the demoralized state of our personal Temple by external worship and observances. This temptation is very real, especially for those of us in positions of power, whether in politics or in religion. We appear to be righteous and serving the people, but we abuse their trust and authority by making use of people for our needs, pleasures and our riches. This is why the temptation to use our power and authority for self is even greater. As leaders we must be watchful that we do not fall into the same trap as the Jewish political and religious leaders. We must ask ourselves whether we are serving the people and serving God or ourselves.
In truth, external worship and the interior life of the person go together. It does not mean that external worship is meaningless just because of hypocrisy. Indeed, what is an external ritual when interiorized more and more deeply, will have an impact on our hearts and minds. For some of us, although our life has yet to be conformed to Christ’s life, through faithful worship and the celebration of the rituals and prayers, we could eventually be brought back to God. For those of us who are touched by God interiorly, then what is felt within us must also be expressed sacramentally in worship and in rituals. So there is no dichotomy between the Temple worship and the purification of our own inner Temple. Dichotomy happens only when we choose to be hypocrites and act in a manner that is not consistent with what we truly desire. For most of us, I believe we want to do the right thing. But we are weak and we compromise. This is different from those whose hearts are hardened in doing wrong under the cover of pious spiritual exercises.
The religious leaders were truly unrepentant. Jesus “taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.” They were out to silence Jesus the prophet as their forefathers sought to silence the lips of Jeremiah. Jesus was acting like what the prophets in the Old Testament would do to purify the Temple. This was why His authority was challenged in the subsequent chapter. On whose authority did Jesus rely on in seeking to purify the Temple? They rejected His authority on one hand and on the other hand, they were afraid of the people who knew that Jesus spoke and acted with authority.
Jesus was fully conscious of His divine authority. Already, at the very beginning of His life when His parents were searching for Him in the temple, He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49) The temple is His Father’s House. As the Messiah, He is called to be that messenger which the prophet Malachi prophesied will “suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.” (Mal 3:1-3)
Today, let us learn from the people whom we are told, “hung on his words.” We can purify our temple only if we listen to His words. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Mt 7:24)
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment