Let us reflect on what it means to dedicate our lives to God. Mother Mary, offered in the temple as a child, became the living temple of the Lord by her wholehearted “yes.” She reminds us that holiness is not reserved for the extraordinary moments but is shaped in daily fidelity, in the hidden offerings of prayer, patience, and service. In the first reading, the people purified and rededicated the temple. In the Gospel reading, Jesus cleansed the temple, calling it a house of prayer. What is the state of the temple of our hearts? Is it cluttered with distractions, pride, or resentment? Or is it a place where God finds room to dwell? Like Mother Mary, we are invited to present ourselves to God. This means bringing our ordinary lives, our relationships, our work, even our struggles, and allowing him to make them holy. When our hearts are purified, they become true houses of prayer, shining quietly in the world as places where God’s presence is made known.

PRAYER: Abba Father, purify my heart. Amen.