Friday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

We see the angry side of Jesus in today’s gospel.  He attempts to clean the temple.  He wants to return the temple to a house of prayer.  Jesus was teaching in the temple daily while the chief priests and scribes continued to determine how to put him to death.  I can’t imagine the tension that Jesus experienced daily, yet he had a job to do.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving was celebrated in the United States.  It’s a day that has been set aside to celebrate gratitude.  Traditionally, families, and friends gather over a special meal.  There is much preparation that goes into the celebration; cleaning, cooking, decorating.  We clean our home and hopefully our hearts in preparation for the day.  As I reflect on this time of the year, I am hopeful that the reason for the day, counting blessings, and gratitude, isn’t lost. Hopefully this season can remain sacred, and not be damaged by a ‘den of thieves.’ 
For today, let’s consider the state of our heart and our home.  What does a ‘den of thieves’ look like?  What can be done to keep a ‘den of thieves’ away?  What can be done to protect our house of prayer?  Would my actions and words be pleasing to Jesus, or would he become angry? 

Consider the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola:

"Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."

“Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve You as You deserve.”