Today’s Gospel gives us the account of the Cleansing of the Temple, from St Mark: ‘He entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he taught, and said to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”’

The physical Temple is in need of cleansing, but so also is the temple of our heart. As the Psalmist said: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me’. The Hebrew word for ‘right’ can mean erect, standing perpendicular, and hence faithful, firm steadfast.

Our Lord wills all these things for us, and is ready to effect them within us. May we give Him free rein in our hearts, that His Kingdom may reign unimpeded there. May God bless you this day.