Daily Readings - Mon Nov 09 2020
First Reading - Ezekiel 47.1-2, 8-9, 12 or 1 Corinthians 3.9b-11, 16-17
Ezekiel
1Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.2Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.12And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
1 Corinthians
9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
John
13And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?21But he spake of the temple of his body.22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful visions of life, renewal, and the true meaning of worship. Ezekiel’s vision of the temple in Ezekiel 47 vividly describes waters flowing from the temple, bringing life and healing to all they touch. This imagery speaks of a restored creation, where God’s presence flows forth, transforming even the most desolate places into gardens of abundance. The temple here is not just a building but a source of divine life, reminding us that God’s presence is meant to overflow into the world, bringing healing and fruitfulness.
In the Gospel, John 2:13-22, Jesus’ actions in the temple challenge us to reflect on what it means to worship God. By driving out the merchants and moneychangers, Jesus is not just cleaning the temple; he is restoring its true purpose as a house of prayer. His zeal for God’s house consumes him, as the Psalm says, and he calls us to share that same passion. When the Jews question his authority, Jesus points to his own body as the true temple, a mystery that would only be fully understood after his resurrection. This passage invites us to see Jesus as the new temple, the source of living water, and the place where God’s presence dwells among us.
These readings remind us that our lives are meant to be temples of the Holy Spirit, living sources of God’s life and love in the world. Just as Ezekiel’s waters flowed outward, bringing healing to the land, so too are we called to let God’s Spirit flow through us, transforming the world around us. Let us ask ourselves: Are we allowing God’s presence to flow freely through us, or are there obstacles in our hearts that need to be cleared away? May we, like Jesus, be consumed by zeal for God’s house, and may our lives be fruitful, bearing the first-fruits of the Spirit for the healing of the world.