You are God’s Temple
Ezk 47:1-2,8-9,12; 1 Cor 3:9-11,16-17; Jn 2:13-22 (C 32)
“How delightful is your dwelling-place, Lord, God of hosts!” (Ps 84:1)
The Biblical Jerusalem
that we hear about in today’s Liturgy holds a very special place in the history
of salvation. It was King Solomon, around 966 years before Christ, who first
established Jerusalem as the royal and religious center of Israel by building
the magnificent First Temple — the dwelling place of God among his people. That
Temple, however, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the natives
were deported into exile. Later, under Zerubbabel’s leadership, the exiles
returned from Babylon and began rebuilding the Temple. It was completed and
dedicated in 516 BC, during the reign of King Darius of Persia, at the time of
the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Centuries later, King Herod the Great
renovated and expanded that same Temple into a massive and splendid structure —
the pride of Israel. But as Jesus himself foretold, it was destroyed by the
Romans in the year 70 CE.
In today’s Gospel, we
hear the story of Jesus’ anger cleansing the same Temple. The evangelist Luke
presents it in two parts. First, Jesus’ action in the Temple driving out the
money changers and the merchants; and second, his prediction about the
destruction of the Temple, saying, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it.” At first, people were shocked because the Temple was the heart
of Jewish life, the visible sign of God’s presence. And Jesus was speaking of himself
as the true Temple — the living dwelling place of God. It was the time of the
Passover, when thousands of pilgrims came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice. For
their convenience, animals were sold in the Temple precincts, and money
changers exchanged Roman coins for the Temple tax. These practices, though
practical, had turned God’s house into a place of trade. This is the cause of Jesus’
anger.
When Jesus drove out the
merchants, he was not condemning the Temple itself, but he was purifying its
purpose. He wanted the people to understand that worship cannot be mixed with
greed or self-interest. He was pointing to a new reality: God no longer dwells
in stone buildings, but in living hearts — first in His own Body and now in His
Church, his living Body on earth. The river flowing from the Temple, spoken of
by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezk 47), is a powerful image of the Holy Spirit. This
river flows from Christ and his Church, bringing life, healing, and renewal to
the whole world. Through the sacraments, especially Baptism and the Eucharist,
we receive this living water — cleansing us from sin and giving us new life in
the Spirit.
His anger is a reminder
that we ourselves are called to be temples of God. That is why Saint Paul says,
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16). Just as Jesus cleansed the
physical Jerusalem Temple, so too our hearts and souls often need cleansing —
from selfishness, pride, jealousy, or indifference. Our relationship with God
is not a transaction; it is a relationship of love, like that of children
toward their loving Father. God desires not our bargains, but our hearts. Our
God is the God of the living; then our worship must also be alive — sincere,
joyful, and active. When we participate in the Holy Mass, we are not
spectators; we are offering our lives on the altar along with Christ in the
person of the priest. Finally, this Gospel challenges us to look at our
community of faith as a living temple. Each one of us is a living stone, and
together we form the dwelling place of God. Let us therefore keep our temple
holy by our reverence, unity, and service. Let us offer our time, talents, and
treasures to build up the Body of Christ — our parish, our community, our
families.
“Baptism makes every one of us into a temple of God” (St Caesarius of Arles)
