Daily Readings - Thu Nov 09 2023
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
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.