1 Macc 4:36-37, 52-59 / Luke 19:45-48
For most religions, the place of worship is a sacred place. Whether it is called a church or a temple or a worship hall, it is designated as a sacred place.
The sacredness of the place is not just because of what is done there but because the divine presence is there and the divine presence even resides there.
Furthermore, usually the ritual sacrifice is offered on the altar of that sacred place, and hence it is in the sacred place where divinity and humanity come into communion.
Altars that were defiled or that were desecrated for whatever reason had to be destroyed and a new altar to be consecrated.
That was what we heard about in the 1st reading. After they had defeated their enemies, Judas and his brothers went up to the Temple to purify it and to dedicate a new altar so that a lawful sacrifice can be offered.
Earlier on, their enemies had defiled the sanctuary and desecrated the altar and so everything had to be purified and replaced as necessary.
But in the gospel it was not the Temple or the sanctuary or the altar that was defiled or desecrated.
It was the people themselves, who were selling and doing business (dishonestly?) that was defiling the Temple and desecrating it.
Even Jesus said that they had turned it into a robbers' den.
As we come to this place of worship, this place of prayer, let us offer a pure and worthy sacrifice.
Let us always cleanse our lives of sin, so that we can offer a sacrifice that is acceptable to God and in turn receive the abundant blessings of the Eucharist.