Daily Readings - Thu Nov 09 2023

First Reading - Ezekiel 47.1-2, 8-9, 12 or 1 Corinthians 3.9b-11, 16-17

¹And he turned me back to the gate of the house. And behold, waters went out, from under the threshold of the house, toward the east. For the face of the house looked toward the east. But the waters descended on the right side of the temple, toward the south of the altar²And he led me out, along the way of the north gate, and he turned me back toward the way outside the exterior gate, the way which looked toward the east. And behold, the waters overflowed on the right side⁸And he said to me: "These waters, which go forth toward the hillocks of sand to the east, and which descend to the plains of the desert, will enter the sea, and will go out, and the waters will be healed⁹And every living soul that moves, wherever the torrent arrives, will live. And there will be more than enough fish, after these waters have arrived there, and they will be healed. And all things will live, where the torrent arrives¹²And above the torrent, on its banks on both sides, every kind of fruit tree will rise up. Their foliage will not fall away, and their fruit will not fail. Every single month they will bring forth first-fruits. For its waters will go forth from the sanctuary. And its fruits will be for food, and its leaves will be for medicine.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 3

⁹For we are God’s assistants. You are God’s cultivation; you are God’s construction¹⁰According to the grace of God, which has been given to me, I have laid the foundation like a wise architect. But another builds upon it. So then, let each one be careful how he builds upon it¹¹For no one is able to lay any other foundation, in place of that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus¹⁶Do you not know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives within you¹⁷But if anyone violates the Temple of God, God will destroy him. For the Temple of God is holy, and you are that Temple

John

Chapter 2

¹³And the Passover of the Jews was near, and so Jesus ascended to Jerusalem¹⁴And he found, sitting in the temple, sellers of oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers¹⁵And when he had made something like a whip out of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, including the sheep and the oxen. And he poured out the brass coins of the moneychangers, and he overturned their tables¹⁶And to those who were selling doves, he said: "Take these things out of here, and do not make my Father’s house into a house of commerce.¹⁷And truly, his disciples were reminded that it is written: "Zeal for your house consumes me.¹⁸Then the Jews responded and said to him, "What sign can you show to us, that you may do these things?¹⁹Jesus responded and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.²⁰Then the Jews said, "This temple has been built up over forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?²¹Yet he was speaking about the Temple of his body²²Therefore, when he had resurrected from the dead, his disciples were reminded that he had said this, and they believed in the Scriptures and in the word that Jesus had spoken

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of renewal, purification, and the living presence of God among His people. In Ezekiel’s vision, we see a river of life flowing from the temple, transforming the desert into a place of abundance and healing. This river symbolizes the life-giving power of God, who restores creation and makes all things fruitful. The context of this passage is Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of a future temple, where God’s presence will dwell in a way that brings vitality and prosperity to the land. The river’s waters heal even the salt-laden Dead Sea, signifying God’s power to transform and renew. In the Gospel, we see Jesus taking action in the temple, driving out the merchants and moneychangers. This passage is set during the Passover, a time when Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims. Jesus’ actions are not just about cleaning up the temple but about restoring its true purpose as a house of prayer. The context of this passage is Jesus’ growing conflict with religious leaders who had allowed the temple to become a place of commerce rather than a place of worship. By cleansing the temple, Jesus asserts His authority and calls people back to a deeper reverence for God’s presence. The passage also points to the ultimate temple: Jesus’ own body, which will be destroyed and raised up on the third day, fulfilling the true meaning of God’s dwelling among humanity. These readings are connected by the theme of God’s presence and the need for purification. Ezekiel’s vision of the river of life prefigures the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, while Jesus’ cleansing of the temple prepares the way for the true worship that will flow from hearts transformed by His sacrifice. Together, they remind us that our lives, like the temple, must be purified and dedicated to God’s service. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to be temples of the Holy Spirit, allowing God’s life-giving power to flow through us. May we, like the river in Ezekiel’s vision, bring healing and life to a world in need. Let us strive to keep our hearts pure and our lives focused on God’s will, that we might truly be His dwelling place.