Fr Peter Ireorji, MSP - Homily from Friday, Nov. 9, 2018

When Jesus entered the Temple of Jerusalem, he was shocked to see it profaned and desecrated by the money changers and merchants selling doves and sacrificial animals. In anger, he drove away these people:“Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace” Jn 2:13-22. This action of Jesus gives us an important lesson: the church building is not an ordinary place; it is the house of God. As a house of worship, it is where people encounter God in a very special way. It is not a playground for children; it is not a place to exchange gossips and spread intrigues; it is not the place to talk to your friends on your cell phones. It should be treated with utmost respect and reverence. In Baptism, we have become the members of the Church; we have become the parts of his Mystical Body. The Church has been traditionally depicted as a big boat sailing at sea. It encounters big storms and hurricanes but it will never sink nor will it run off course because Jesus is its captain. All of us are the passengers of this boat. We should cooperate with Jesus in making this boat safe and sound. We cannot go around endangering the safety of others, and we should not do anything that will destroy or weaken the integrity of the boat. May we remain strong and healthy members of the Body of Christ. And as members of his Church, may we become a blessing as well to the others whom we encounter along the way. Shalom!