Saint Paul writes, in our second reading, “You are God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.”
Did you ever think about the fact that the foundation of your life is Jesus Christ? God created each of us out of love, each made perfectly in His image. And each are made to return our love to God.
The Gospel details the story of the money changers. In the Temple, they were providing a service to the travelers who would arrive in Jerusalem; they changed foreign currency into the coins that were used in the Temple to pay the Temple Tax. For those travelling great distances, they provided the opportunity to buy the animals needed for sacred sacrifices. The services were worthwhile – until they moved the boundary!
The money changers positioned themselves beyond the Gate of the Gentiles into the actual Temple area. They took their commerce from the outside marketplace into the sanctuary. Their service became a violation of God‘s law when they brought deception and cheated some – or many – of their customers within the House of God.
When we take these two readings together, we can see a new way of understanding where we, created to love God, created by the love of God, become less than He desires for us. Each of us in our modern lives, have the opportunity to live with Jesus as the foundation of truth, the foundation of honesty, the foundation of being a disciple made in His image. When we sin, we break that relationship with God. By creating us in His image, God expects us to live according to His rules.
But the world creates different measures of success that conflict with the Gospel; which measure do we choose? Jesus’ actions to cleanse the Temple area are a lesson for us even today: God is the potter, and we are the clay. He has shaped us and tells us how to be His disciples. With His very life, He showed us how to witness the Gospel. In our troubled times, the world shows us a different view. In returning to the message in Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, we need to be reminded that our foundation is Jesus Christ.
Anything we try and build without that foundation is doomed to crumble. We are God‘s work of art; what we do with His gifts and His generosity becomes our own expression of love returned to God.
Do the lives that we lead reflect the foundation of belief in Jesus Christ, or do we show the world that we care less for Him who created us out of love, and only care for our own worldly desires?
- Father Jim
Hospice Care Information
Faith at Home
These links provides you with the latest one-page resource for families, Faith At Home; it connects to the theme of the upcoming Sunday Liturgy. This resource is updated each week and can be found on the diocesan webpage at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home and en Español at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/fe-en-casa.
May God continue to bless us and keep us close to Him.
Please support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul so that together we can help local families in need. Those needing help should call the SVDP helpline at 856-291-7313. Click this link to visit the SVdP website: www.SVDPmoorestown.org
Local food pantries include:
St. Matthew's Church, 318 Chester Ave.
First Baptist Church, 19 West Main St., Moorestown
Bethel AME, 512 N. Church St., Moorestown
Prince of Peace 61 E Rte 70, Marlton, NJ 08053
SVDP also has Thinking of You cards available. A gift can be given to the poor in the name of someone special at your
request. You will be remembered in the prayers and works of the Moorestown Vincentians. We are so very grateful for your
generous ongoing donations.
Our Promise to Protect
The Diocese of Trenton is committed to the initiatives outlined in the U.S. Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors. The Diocese has in place a Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, who is available to obtain support for your needs and help you make a formal complaint of abuse.
If you have been sexually abused as a minor by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan Abuse Hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via email at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.
The Diocese encourages anyone with an allegation to also report that abuse to their local law enforcement agency. The Diocese reports all allegations received to the appropriate county prosecutor’s office.
ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS
please click on the corresponding hyperlinks below
