The Gentiles had taken over everything, including the temple, and desecrated it!
They knowingly went for the heart of the Jewish people, to desecrate the holiest of sites that was their temple and altar, and where the Law was central.
When these enemies were finally “crushed” and driven out, immediately Judas and his brothers announced, “Let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.”
And that is exactly what they did.
And talk about significance. On the very anniversary of the defilement of their temple, they celebrated the rededication of the temple.
After eight days it was restored, and each year for eight days that restoration and dedication is recelebrated as these scriptures proclaim, “with joy and gladness.”
+ In a similar vein, the temple in Jesus’ time was becoming a bit of a marketplace; it was one thing to sell the necessary doves and pigeons and other things needed for sacrifice — not unlike the selling of religious items outside most churches today.
But it was quite another thing for it to become a literal marketplace and lose the sacred space and prayerfulness that any temple or church should retain.
And that is exactly what Jesus noticed.
The temple had become a barn for business; Jesus ransacked that “barn,” turning over its tables and cleansing it of the filth it had accumulated saying, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.”
Another rededication of sorts was unveiling itself through the words and actions of Jesus.
And clearly, some did not appreciate it.
Jesus was teaching them while some of them were plotting on how they could put him to death!
Yikes! And for us, it certainly raises the question of just how sacred is this space that we call “a church.”
Truth be told, it appears that most people see the space as sacred, and as an oasis of grace and blessing.
This is noted even as people walk or drive by the church building, blessing themselves with the sign of the cross as they pass the front doors.
Thank you, Jesus, for reminding and redirecting us to the sacred and the holy.
Thank you for your cleansing and healing love.
Thank you for your dedication and offering of your very self for our good.
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
