Heavenly Father,
We are so grateful that Your Son made Himself the universal and eternal temple through His own risen body—a temple not confined by place, time, or culture. We know that His mystical body is the foundation stone for both the Church and the communion of saints in Your Heavenly Kingdom. Help us know how precious are the gifts that come to us through this Church—the Sacraments that raise us to divine life, Your Son’s word and teaching that keep us on the path to salvation, and the unity and support of the Church community itself. In knowing this, help us with each passing day to become more engaged in serving, learning, and receiving from this fount of salvation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Reflection
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for thy house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.—John 2: 13-25 (RSV)
Did This Prayer and Reflection Speak to You?
If you found that your heart needed this prayer and your faith found peace in the further reflections, consider continuing your journey with these two Fr. Spitzer titles:
God So Loved the World probes the major question: Even if we accept that God is real, why believe He has personally revealed Himself to mankind? Fr. Spitzer does an in-depth examination of Jesus’ forgiveness of sinners, teachings, miracles, and His rising from the dead.
Christ Versus Satan in Our Daily Lives is divided into two main parts: the realities of God’s goodness and spiritual evil and recognizing and overcoming diabolical tactics ranging from temptation and deception to deadly sins. Fr. Spitzer shows readers how to experience God’s peace even during suffering and persecution.
