In our lesson from the Hebrew scriptures today, we have spelled out what we have come to call “The Ten Commandments.” To keep us on track, God tells us, “You shall not make for yourself an idol,” in any form whatsoever. Today it not so much idols made by human hands that stand in the way of our relationship with the Holy One, but rather the idols we have allowed to abide in our minds and hearts. All those things that capture our interest and attention, that seem the most important things in the world to us, that keep us focused on “me” and “mine” are the popular idols in our culture. We all—well, most of us anyway—have some, known and unknown, and Lent is a good time to ferret them out, name them, and offer them to God for cleansing, healing, and reconciling.

When you reflect on the gospel story of Jesus cleansing the temple, can you see a metaphor for the Beloved cleansing our bodies, minds, and spirits of our idols in this day and time? As we sit with that image for a bit, recognizing we each and all are temples of the Divine, what comes to mind? Take time to journal with your thoughts and feelings. Maybe sketch a picture of what you see in your mind’s eye; capture what personal message you hear from the Beloved. Do you feel your way of life being overturned by what you have discovered? If not, there may be yet another idol continuing to hide somewhere deep within.

Remember that the Episcopal Church in her wisdom provides us with the sacrament of Reconciliation of a Penitent (BCP, p. 447, ff), a formal confession that includes absolution. Whenever we have trouble casting out our idols, detaching from our distractions that separate us fro the Holy One, that rite can be helpful. It is said that “all may, some should, none must”; only you know where you are in your Lenten journey.