When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there. Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers coins, knocked their tables over, and said to the dove sellers, "Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market." Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: "I am eaten up with zeal for your house." The Jews intervened and said, "What sign can you show us that you should act like this?"  Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days?" But he was speaking of the Temple that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what he had said. During his stay in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he did, but Jesus knew all people and did not trust himself to them; he never needed evidence about anyone; he could tell what someone had in him.

Introductory Prayer: Jesus, you have come into my Temple, and I beg that you come again this day. Purify my heart and make it yours, that you may dwell here forever.

Petition: Lord, grant that my soul be for you alone.

1.   What is my Temple?  Different buildings have different uses that are designed by their owners. What intelligent man doesn't carefully think of what his building will be used for before he designs it? Then, to make use of every inch, he makes a floor plan, decides on the furnishings, the counters, the doors and windows; even the lighting is thought through. God knows what he wants of us and also makes us accordingly.  In a certain way, he remains in us as the artist remains in his painting. This is not only true of our conscience, but also our talents. Maybe we are weak or even lack certain abilities for a reason. We need to have confidence in God's design.  Don't think you are too small for what God is thinking. Believe that God will be able to work through you - that is why he made you.

2.   "Take These Things Out of Here."  Sometimes we have brought things into the temple of our souls that it was not designed for. The Lord may want to remove these things when he enters in. He has zeal for his Father's house. Sometimes we have made our temple even into a place for the worship of idols. If there are things we would not give up that are not God, how can we pretend to be consecrated to the Lord through Baptism?  The Lord will bring us face to face with these things, though we ourselves did not think it a problem. He is in fact doing us a favor, for in this way he makes us a worthy place for the worship of the Father.

3.   "He Could Tell What Someone Had in Him."  No one knows us like God does. I heard it said once that only God knows our real name, since he calls to the most intimate part of the person. It would follow then that when he calls us to live with him at the end of our life, he will call our name; the honesty and truth of it will be impossible to resist. When he calls us, it will be to everything we are, everything we will have done for him, and also every act of mercy or blessing that he had done for us. I think it will be a great pleasure to be known by someone and loved by someone who is that close to us. The Gospel says that he would not trust himself to anyone, for he knew them; however, we should trust in him. He knows that we can be his followers one moment and the next we might deny him, as happened from Palm Sunday to Good Friday in Jerusalem. On the other hand, he is always faithful, as he demonstrated so well on Easter Sunday, when he fulfilled his promise to those who had abandoned him. He is still fulfilling his promise through the Holy Spirit who he sent to lead us to the fullness of truth. When we get to know God, we slowly get know ourselves better, and he reveals us to ourselves. It is normal in the Christian life to walk slowly the road of purification, the road of the cross.  God is preparing us for that meeting at our judgment through us embracing his call to walk this road faithfully. 

Conversation: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of my existence. I know you are leading me; give me the strength to respond to the truth you reveal. I desire today to freely respond by ridding myself of all that hinders me from embracing your plan for me. Jesus, I trust in you, for you are the true friend of my soul.

Questionnaire

1. Do I think that God is capable of using my littleness, or am I depending on myself?

2. Is there anything I need to stop? Is there anything that my heart has grown so fond of that it begins to obstruct my relationship with God and my total generosity?

3. Do I see God as someone who knows me well and is close to me?  Do I respond in kind?  How do I respond to him when I know he is asking me to change?