First Reading: Revelation 10:8-11
And I heard a voice from heaven again speaking to me and saying: Go and take the book that is open from the hand of the angel who stands upon the sea and upon the earth.
And I went to the angel saying to him that he should give me the book. And he said to me: Take the book and eat it up, and it shall make your belly bitter, but in your mouth it shall be sweet as honey.
And I took the book from the hand of the angel and ate it up, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
And he said to me: You must prophesy again to many nations and peoples and tongues and kings.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Alleluia: John 10:27
Gospel: Luke 19:45-48
And entering into the temple, He began to cast out those who sold therein and those who bought, saying to them: It is written: My house is the house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves.
And He was teaching daily in the temple. And the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people sought to destroy Him, and they found not what to do to Him, for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.
Reflection
John is told: Take the book and eat it. In the mouth it is sweet as honey, in the belly it is bitter. That is how God's word is.
The psalm sings of the sweetness - How sweet are your words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth. Your testimonies are my meditation, my counsel, a joy to my heart, better than thousands of gold and silver. The word delights, consoles, gives riches.
But eaten, digested, lived - it also becomes bitter, because it corrects, purifies, sends us to prophesy to nations, and cleanses the temple. Jesus enters the temple and drives out buying and selling: My house is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Then He teaches daily and the people hang on His words.
Today, do not take the word as sweet talk only. Let it clean what keeps your heart from prayer. Listen as His sheep and follow.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, give me hunger for your word. Let it be sweet to my taste, my meditation and joy. When your truth is bitter and calls me to change, keep me from turning away. Cleanse my heart as you cleansed the temple, and make my life a house of prayer. Let me hear your voice and follow you. Amen.
Readings are taken from the Douay-Rheims Bible, rendered in modern English for easy reading.
