St Paul reminds us that we, as members of the Church, are temples of the Holy Spirit, but do we in fact allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us?  Do we find within ourselves the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?  Or do we find in the temple of our souls very different things – jealousy, envy, anger, selfishness, vindictiveness, strife and a refusal to make up quarrels?  Do we find ourselves entertaining shameful thoughts that cannot co-exist with God the Holy Spirit who is our souls’ true guest?

Now, just as Our Blessed Lord visited the Temple that Holy Week, so this Lent he visits our souls and he will expect to find them cleared of everything that offends him.  He is now standing, as it were, at the gate of our soul and with us he looks within.  Nothing escapes his all-seeing gaze; and we too must deliberately face the truth about ourselves and cover nothing up in false shame or self-deception.