Focal Shelf
Today’s story from Luke’s gospel takes place on the evening of ‘Palm Sunday’. It involves the markets that were in the temple precinct so people could buy animals to slaughter for an offering or change their money to an appropriate currency to give to the Temple treasury. Can you find some coins to place on the table today? This can be a reminder of the story, and also a reminder of our precarious and sometimes problematic relationship with money.

Meal
At your meal today take some time to read the story. You may want to discuss it, or else have a period of silence for reflection

Luke 19: 49-48
Then Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; and he said, ‘It is written,
“My house shall be a house of prayer”;
   but you have made it a den of robbers.’

Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

 Here is a prayer to share at your meal, or another time:

 Everlasting God, in your tender love for humanity
you sent your son to take our nature.
Passionate for justice and raging at corruption,
he confronted misuse of authority and drew the ire of influential people.
When the time is right, give us the same rage and passion,
and help us speak truth to power,
empowered by the Holy Spirit. Amen

Inner Life
Many people are uncertain about money right now. People on disability support payments and small business owners, those with casual jobs and those who have been stood down, and many, many others. Hold before God today all those who are anxious about money, even yourself.