Daily Readings - Thu Nov 09 2017
First Reading - Ezekiel 47.1-2, 8-9, 12 or 1 Corinthians 3.9b-11, 16-17
Ezekiel
1The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.2He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.8He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh.9Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.12Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."
1 Corinthians
9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.16Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
John
13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"21But the temple he had spoken of was his body.22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful visions of life, renewal, and the presence of God. Ezekiel describes a river flowing from the temple, symbolizing the life-giving Spirit of God that heals and nurtures all it touches. This vision, set during the Babylonian exile, offers hope to the Israelites of God's restoration. The river's abundance and the fruit trees along its banks represent the vibrant life that comes from God's presence. In John's Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, restoring its sacred purpose by driving out commerce. His prophecy about rebuilding the temple in three days points to his resurrection, linking the physical temple to the spiritual temple of his body.
Both readings highlight the temple as a symbol of God's presence. Ezekiel's river prefigures the Holy Spirit's outpouring, while Jesus' actions in the temple emphasize the new life and purification he brings. This connection underscores the temple's role as a source of divine life—Ezekiel's vision is a future hope, while John's narrative is its fulfillment in Jesus.
In our daily lives, we are called to view our bodies and communities as temples of the Holy Spirit. We must ensure our lives and communities are places of worship, free from worldly distractions. Just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we should cleanse our hearts from sin, making room for God's presence. The moral lesson is clear: we must zealously maintain the sacredness of our relationship with God, focusing on spiritual renewal through reflection, prayer, and a life that honors Him.