A House of Prayer: Reflection by Cynthia Abegail

"Then He began to teach them: 'Is it not written, my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?  But you have made it a den of thieves!"  Mk 11:17

"Jesus condemns pride and extortion.  The temple was a place of prayer for everyone. Jesus statement clearly indicts the fraud running rampant among the merchants.  As in Jeremiah's time, Israel had come to see the Temple as the talisman that ensured their special relationship with God no matter what they did.  Both the pride and extortion of Jesus' day contradicted Solomon's vision for the Temple as a place of penitent and humble prayer for everyone.  (1 Kgs 8: 41-43)."  Source:  Philips, Benjamin.  Ph D, The Bible, p. 254.

The Church is a place of prayer and not for any selfish purpose.  This notion arise from respect for an Almighty God.  And God is always for the truth and the right.  The Church, for that matter is designed to help the poor and needy, not for the amassing of wealth.  Money is only for its fundamental answer to its operations, but it's not for excess in grandeur and material glory.

Money is only a means to further the goals of supporting our marginalised poor and for the further accomplishing of the glory of God, but money is not an end in itself.  As the Lord says, "You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Let us pray today that our Church be a continuous source of comfort and consolation, in the Lord's Name.  That it will continue to pursue the goals of Christianity, to be selfless and fight for the rights of the needy, the marginalised, the unborn, the helpless and for those who has barely enough to survive.  Let us pray particularly for the poor nations in the world, that they may be helped more by their wealthier counterparts.  That just like the widow who had given all that she have to survive for God's glory may be a good example for all of us.  That our eyes may be open to the plight of the poor.  That, if we were given more by God, we maybe able to share most of what we have in talents, in time and in money, such that our fellowmen may benefit and our solidarity and peace with one another be as strong as ever.  Lord, hear our prayer.  That we maybe aware that only God's grace is what we need to do all of these good deeds!  That we may realise that going to Church is not enough; that we may come to think that our actions should accompany our beliefs.  That we may love God with all of our hearts, minds and souls.  Thanks be to God!  All of these prayers in the Most Holy Name of Jesus.  Amen.

Cynthia Abegail