Daily Reflection – 11/21/2025
Sacred Scripture
Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words. (Luke 19: 45-48)
Reflection
In the Gospels, the account of Jesus cleansing the temple stands out. It is a moment of startling action, where Jesus, who so often spoke of peace and turning the other cheek, uses physical force. He drove out the money changers and those selling animals, overturning their tables in a display of righteous anger. His act was a powerful, prophetic sign, a clear message that God takes our worship very seriously.
The temple in Jerusalem was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations. However, it had become a place of exploitation. Money changers and merchants were taking advantage of worshippers, especially the poor, by charging excessive rates. They turned a sacred space into a marketplace, their greed dishonoring God and creating injustice. Jesus’ swift judgment was a defense of the Father’s house. He was cleansing it of practices that were not holy and restoring its true purpose. This event shows us a side of Jesus that is both challenging and comforting: a Lord who is passionate about justice and the purity of our devotion.
This story, however, is not just about a historical building. It speaks directly to the temple of our own hearts. Jesus desires to enter the inner sanctuary of our lives and purify it as well. Within us, there can be “thieves” that attempt to rob us of the very foundations of our spiritual life: faith, hope, and love. These thieves can take many forms. They might be fears that keep us from trusting God completely, or doubts that whisper we are not worthy of His love. They could be insecurities that tell us we must earn our value through our own perfection, rather than accepting the gift of grace.
The purification of our hearts begins when we invite the Holy Spirit to shine a light on these internal struggles. We can ask ourselves: What are the tables that need to be overturned in my heart? Are there attachments or anxieties that prevent me from letting go and letting God lead? Do I believe, deep down, that God’s love is something I must achieve rather than receive? By confronting these questions honestly, we open ourselves up to a cleansing that binds us closer to God. He wants to help us become a true temple of His presence, a house of prayer where we can adore Him, seek forgiveness, and confidently bring our needs before Him.
This call to purity also extends to our communal worship in the physical church. When we gather as a community, we are given another opportunity for purification. The goal of our worship is not to appear perfect or polite before God, but to be honest. We are called to come as we are, with all our imperfections and struggles. Few, if any of us, can claim to have lives that are totally purified. We are all works in progress. Our sorrows, our anger, and our insecurities are part of our journey, and there is no better place to bring them than to the Lord.
To stand before God in truth means presenting our whole selves to Him, not just the parts we think are presentable. It is only when we honestly express our anxieties and pains in prayer that we become open to hearing His response. In that space of vulnerability, we might discover the next step God is asking us to take. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is an invitation to us all—to value pure worship, to allow Him to purify our hearts, and to approach Him with courageous honesty, trusting that He meets us where we are and leads us toward holiness.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus, you open wide the door of your house and you bid us to enter confidently that we may worship you in spirit and truth. Help me to draw near to you with gratitude and joy for your great mercy. May I always revere your word and give you acceptable praise and worship.”
Daily Note
We approach God’s word with a humble attentive heart and with a willingness to be taught by the Lord, then we are in a good place to allow God’s word to change and transform us in the likeness of Christ. The Lord wants to teach us his ways so that we may grow in holiness. The Lord calls us to be a holy people who worship him with reverence and gratitude for his great mercy and kindness towards us.
