Stop Making Yourselves Like Marketplaces!

Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica Nov. 9, 2008 (Jn 2:13-22)

Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me." At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica. This church is the official cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It is the mother of all churches in Rome and in the whole world. Therefore, it is a symbol of the unity of the Church, the people of God.

The Gospel for today shows us how Jesus gave importance to the sanctity of the temple, the house of God. Jesus drives away those who abuse their fellow men who wanted to offer sacrifices to God. The money changers in the temple did not give the people the equal value for their money. They cheated them; they maltreated them. And this made Jesus mad.

We often take the word “church” to mean a place for worship. Nevertheless, we know that it has a greater meaning. The Church is the people of God. We are the Church, Jesus’ Body, the one which He referred to in the Gospel as “the temple”.

Moreover, everyone of us is the dwelling place of God. In the Second Reading for today, Saint Paul teaches us, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.” (1 Cor 3:16-17).

In the light of St. Paul’s words, we can reflect on today’s Gospel with more depth than just saying that Jesus respects the temple of Jerusalem. Jesus says, “…Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” Where is the Father’s house that we should respect? It is all around us. It is us. We are the Father’s temples and we should treat ourselves as such. Jesus, in the Gospel today doesn’t just tell us to respect our places of worship. He is telling us, “Stop making yourselves like marketplaces.” We should treat ourselves and others as holy temples of God. We should not let sin destroy us and our neighbor.

Let us reflect on this, very few in their right minds, would dare desecrate a church building. I don’t think any good Catholic would go to Mass half naked or even dare to step on a crucifix. I don’t even think we could dare tear a picture of Jesus. But how dare we insult our neighbor? How dare we destroy their images, their good names? How dare we kill others? How dare we deceive them? How dare we abuse even ourselves?

The church where we gather to worship is indeed holy. That is why we dedicate it for the single purpose of worshipping God. Indeed, respect is due our churches since they are holy places. Nevertheless, we should not forget that every person deserves respect because they too are dwelling places of God, just as we are. Therefore nobody has the right to destroy anyone by his words or actions. God is within us, and within our neighbor. We should treat every human person as holy.