Holy Week Observance, Monday, "The Cleansing of the Temple"

Four days before Passover, Jesus curses a fig tree that

does not bear fruit the following morning. Some scholars

claim it represents God's judgment on Israel's spiritually

dead religious leaders. Others believe the symbolism

extends to all believers, demonstrating that genuine faith

is more than looking religious on the outside; true, living

faith must bear spiritual fruit in one's life.

Jesus drove out the money changers using the temple's

sacred space for commerce. He declared, 'My house shall

be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den

of thieves' (Matthew 21: 12-13). Whether in God's holy

temple or within the walls of your home, houses of prayer

require respect and care.

How can I avoid spiritual disingenuousness? How can I

better respect and honor sacred spaces, including

where I am mentally, my physical body, and my home?

Create a list of those who need my prayers. Pray for

every person by name and petition the Lord for help.

Matthew 21:12-17; D&C 93:1