Daily Readings - Fri Nov 21 2025
Luke
45Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling.46"It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in the history of God's people, each highlighting the importance of sacred spaces and the call to purity. The first reading from 1 Maccabees recounts the rededication of the Temple after its desecration by foreign rulers. The Maccabees, after overcoming oppression, restore the Temple to its sacred purpose, establishing the festival of Hanukkah to celebrate this miracle. This historical event underscores the Jewish people's resilience and their commitment to worshiping God in a purified sanctuary.
In the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus performing a prophetic act by cleansing the Temple. He drives out those who have turned this sacred space into a marketplace, emphasizing that the Temple is meant for prayer. This act, occurring in the final week of His life, provokes the religious leaders, who begin to plot against Him. Yet, the people are drawn to His teaching, illustrating the tension between those clinging to power and those seeking true connection with God.
These readings connect through the theme of maintaining the sanctity of worship. Both events remind us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, requiring us to guard against corruption. Just as the Temple was a communal space, our spiritual lives are not solitary but part of a larger community. We are called to ensure our inner temples remain pure, focused on prayer and worship, and to stand against corruption in our hearts and communities.
May these readings inspire us to reflect on our own spiritual purity and our role within the community of faith. Let us strive to create sacred spaces within ourselves, where God's presence can dwell, guiding us to live with integrity and purpose.