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reading of the Book of Revelation of St
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John that same voice from Heaven which I
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John had already heard spoke to me again
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go take the little book open from the
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hand of the Angel who is standing on the
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sea and the earth I went to the angel
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and asked him to give me the little book
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he told me take it and eat it it will be
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bitter in your stomach but in your mouth
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it will be sweet as honey I took the
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little book from the Angel's hand and
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ate it in my mouth it was sweet like
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honey but when I swallowed it my stomach
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became bitter then he said to me you
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must also prophesy against other peoples
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and Nations tongues and Kings word of
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proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus entered the
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temple and began to expel the cellers
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and he said it is written my house shall
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be a House of Prayer yet you have made
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it a den of Thieves Jesus taught every
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day in the temple the high priests the
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teachers of the law and the notables of
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the people were looking for a way to
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kill him him but they didn't know what
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to do because the whole people were
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fascinated when they heard Jesus speak
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word of Salvation Glory To You
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Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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have you ever tasted something so sweet
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that at first it Delights your senses
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but then leaves a bitter taste in your
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mouth this sensory experience vividly
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described in today's first reading from
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Revelation offers us a profound metaphor
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about the nature of our Christian
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Mission and the call to truth in a world
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that does not always want to hear it in
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John's Vision a voice from Heaven
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instructs him go take the little book
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open from the Angel's hand and then
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comes an intriguing order take it and
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devour it it will make your stomach
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bitter but in your mouth it will be as
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sweet as honey what a powerful and
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paradoxical image the book God's word
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his message to humanity is
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simultaneously sweet and bitter this
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Duality speaks to us deeply the word of
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God is sweet because it brings us hope
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love the promise of Salvation it is the
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honey of divine grace the nectar of
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Eternal truth but it can also be bitter
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because it challenges us confronts us
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with difficult realities calls us to a
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transformation that is not always com
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comfortable and isn't that exactly what
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we see Jesus demonstrating in today's
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Gospel entering the temple the holiest
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place in Jerusalem Jesus is faced with a
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scene that enrages him the temple
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intended to be a House of Prayer had
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turned into a market a place where
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Prophet replaced piety where Commerce
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supplanted communion with God my house
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will be a House of Prayer declares Jesus
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quoting scripture but you have made it a
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den of Thieves and then in an act of
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holy indignation he banishes the cellers
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imagine the scene tables being
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overturned coins clinking on the floor
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traitors running people screaming not a
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pleasant scene is it this is the word of
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God In Action sweet and bitter
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simultaneously sweet because it restores
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the sanctity of the temple bitter
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because it confronts those who
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desecrated the sacred sweet because it
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establish is the truth bitter because it
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exposes corruption returning to John's
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Vision after he devoured the book he
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receive a new Mission you must still
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prophesy about many peoples Nations
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languages and Kings note well it is not
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an option but a necessity God's truth
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must be proclaimed even when it is
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uncomfortable even when it upsets the
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status quo isn't that what Jesus does in
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the temple he doesn't just drive out
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sellers in the following days he taught
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every day in the temple and the people
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all the people were suspended from his
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lips to hear him what a wonderful
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contrast the same ones who witnessed his
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holy wrath against the desecration of
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the temple now hear him teach with
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authority and Grace what does this mean
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for us today first we must be prepared
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for the Dual nature of our Christian
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Mission like John we are called to
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Devour the word of God not just read it
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superficially but incorporate it deeply
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into our being and yes it will be sweet
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as honey when it brings us comfort and
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hope but it can also be bitter when it
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calls us to repentance or challenges us
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to confront Injustice second like Jesus
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in the temple we must have the courage
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to confront what is wrong in our society
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in our church in our lives we cannot
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allow the sacred to be desecrated the
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values of the Kingdom to be compromised
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in the name of profit or convenience but
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notice Jesus doesn't just drive out the
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sellers he also teaches the cleansing of
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the temple is not the end but the
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beginning after cleansing the Sacred
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Space he fills it with truth and Grace
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likewise our mission is not just to
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denounce what is wrong but to Proclaim
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and live the truth of the gospel and yes
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there will be opposition the text tells
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tells us that the chief priests the
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scribes and the notables of the people
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sought a way to make him perish when we
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confront established systems when we
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challenge entrenched practices when we
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speak inconvenient truths we should
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expect resistance but notice the Divine
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protection they did not know what to do
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because all the people were suspended
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from their lips to hear him when we
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speak the truth in love when our actions
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reflect God's justice and mercy we find
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unexpected allies the people recognize
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authenticity and respond to the truth my
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dear brothers and sisters today we are
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called like John to Devour the book to
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deeply incorporate the word of God into
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our lives we are called like Jesus to
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purify the temples of our time not just
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physical buildings but the sacred spaces
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of our hearts our families our
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communities yes the message will
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sometimes be bitter confronting the
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truth about ourselves and our society is
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rarely comfortable but it will also be
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sweet sweet as the honey of divine grace
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sweet as the promise of transformation
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and renewal may we have John's courage
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to Devour the book even though we know
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it will be both sweet and bitter may we
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have the Zeal of Jesus to purify what is
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corrupt and the grace to teach the truth
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with love and that like the people in
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the temple we can be suspended from the
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word of God allowing it to transform us
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and through US transform our world may
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the Lord give us wisdom to discern
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courage to act and Grace to persevere
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and May the peace of Christ which
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surpasses all understanding guard our
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hearts and Minds in the truth of the
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
