Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Jun Javines SVD – Palawan
Friday 8th Week in Ordinary Time
If there is one reason why Jesus became upset as presented in the second part of the Gospel it was that the temple had been turned into a marketplace, causing injustice to those who came to worship.
The showcasing of commodities around and within the parameters of the Temple was common during the time of Jesus. Yet, those who came to offer in the temple were in a way manipulated by some authorities. How? By putting up the price of certain items that could be used as offerings.
Ideally the temple authorities were expected to facilitate the worship and temple rituals of the people but instead they made things challenging to the worshippers. In this way, the authorities even sent the wrong signal that God in the temple was not keen about the worshippers’ economic condition, that the business transactions in the temple had nothing to do with their faith experience.
Perhaps we can realistically ask if our Church authorities are there as ordained to facilitate our manner of worship and connect us to a God who is merciful, loving and forgiving. Pope Francis becomes a model of this when he said in his book, “The name of God is Mercy.”
Let us pray that Church authorities like the ordained may bring people closer to the Church and not drive them out of the temple.
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