On The Reality of The Courtyard

Because of an excellent TLM sermon today, I can share an insight from the priest, whose name I do not know, as he was a substitute, on the Court of the Gentiles.

This priest may have visited the Holy Land, or at least studied in detail the surroundings of the Court of the Gentiles.

Apparently, even though, as those who read this blog know, the Court of the Gentiles was a place of prayer set aside for the Gentiles in the Temple of Herod in Jerusalem in Christ's time, it was a mixed blessing. The Gentiles were allowed to pray in the Temple, but the location of the Court of the Gentiles was insulting. It was placed next to the place where the animals sold for the sacrifices were kept. Those Jews, who Christ hit with the bullwhip, kept the animals in the sacred area. But, the Gentiles had to put up with the noise, the smell, the calls of selling, and all the usual noises of a Middle East market place.

Obviously, Christ, the Son of God, the Second Son of the Blessed Trinity was not pleased. First, the selling had no place in His Father's House, Second, the sales people purposefully set the prices of the animals higher than those sold outside the Temple, when the priests claimed the animals brought in were not "pure enough". This is like modern scamming.

Third, the money traders would force all the Jews of the Diaspora to change the coins with the head of Caesar into Temple coins, as those from the far-flung countries under the empire, were not accepted as Temple tax or money for sales, because of the head of Caesar being considered idolatrous.

And so on...the poor Gentiles were given the worst part of the Temple in which to pray.

What should we take from this, considering the name of this blog? Do not expect the best seat in the house, do not expect a comfortable place to pray, if you are in the Court of the Gentiles.

Be ready to go into the cell of you mind in order to pray.

Practice on that point makes perfect. And, remember, only the perfect see God.