Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Homily – February 9, 2010 – Fifth Week in Ordinary Time - Tuesday

+ Our first reading today is a continuation of the "dedication service" of the new temple in Jerusalem begun by King David and completed by King Solomon. The Ark of the Covenant finally had a home; the spirit of God in the form of a cloud would dwell in the Holy of Holies; and now today we see that it will be a House of Prayer – a place where the King, the priests and the people would pray to God and expect to be heard and granted favor and pardon. All of this, of course, being a grandiose foretelling of the coming of Jesus – the true and only real temple of God, where the new ark of the new covenant would reside (the living law of love), where the Holy Spirit of God would fill all of his parts, who would offer prayers to his Father on our behalf and indeed the one sacrifice that would take away our sins – thus granting favor, mercy and pardon!

But is this not the same Lord Jesus that we receive in Holy Communion – today and every day that we attend Mass? Do we not then become his temple, the place where the new ark of the covenant resides, where the Holy Spirit dwells, where we can offer prayers to God for our true daily needs and be confident that they will be heard, favored, answered and counted as mercy and pardon? Can we not help Jesus in his role as proclaimer and doer of God's marvelous deeds?

In the gospel passage Jesus warns the scribes and Pharisees to stop twisting the Jewish religion to suit their own gainful needs. He warns them that proper worship emanating from the purified interior temple of the heart is what is really important. He tells them to stop nullifying the word of God in favor of their own agenda and traditions.

May we today accept the word of God and his laws of love as he intends them; and may the temples of our hearts be swept clean of ill-will and prejudice, decorated with virtuous living and dedicated to giving God all glory, praise, honor, thanks and worship at all the hours of the day and night! We can do this while going about our busy daily schedules if we make it our intention at the beginning of the day – by simply willing it!

Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law!

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