Friday November 18th: A Sacred Space

Our parish churches should not become a mere filling station where we go occasionally.

Luke 19: 45 – 48

Jesus entered the Temple and drove out the merchants who were trading, claiming that they have turned a house of prayer into a robbers’ den. The Temple occupies a central place in Luke’s gospel. In fact, it frames the entire gospel. Luke began and ended his gospel in the Temple. The Temple is primarily a place of prayer which is also a prominent theme in Luke. He placed Jesus, on many occasions, at prayer, including prior to some major events in his life.

We do not have a Temple, but we have parish churches. Like the Temple, our parish churches ought to occupy a principal place in our lives. Our particular church is special and unique. It should be the one place we cannot do without.

Our parish churches should not become a mere filling station where we go occasionally. It ought to be the place without which we cannot live; the place where we develop prayer and community bonds. We can all create prayerful environments in our churches.