3rd LENT SUNDAY, March 7, 2021
THE WORD, Source: John 2.13-25
Cleansing of the Temple.
13 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there.
15 He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables
16 and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”
17 His disciples recalled the words of scripture,i “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?”
19 Jesus answered and said to them,“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 Then Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?”
21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
22 Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
23 While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.
24 But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
25 and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
A REFLECTION
The first reading at Holy Mass today brings to us the 10 Commandments as given to Moses. These represent the human part of a mutual covenant of God and human beings – He is our God and we are His People.
The Holy Gospel at our Mass, the cleansing of the temple – my Father’s House –can be seen as an allegory – the cleansing we need as we are God’s People. (At a later time, Jesus will be even more gracious – God is our Father and we are His Children)
We cleanse ourselves on three levels –
- the Ten Commandments – focusing on self and family and community “which is greatest commandment?”; love God and love neighbor as oneself –
- “I give you a New Commandment ” Even at the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you.” – to love as Jesus has loved us – compassion, mercy, forgiveness –
St. Ignatius pointed out: Love is shown in deeds, not words.
MY PRAYER
As you can imagine – it is time to cleanse your temple – an important Lenten activity
- I sit quietly, in expectation –
- I recall the Lord God is present with me as Jesus promised
- I ask for the grace of the moment – to be cleansed –
- How will I conform myself to the Ten Commandments; My conduct – my life – within my family and among others – I review the Commandments one by one –
- How do I stand — loving God above all? How do I accomplish this? — loving others as myself –how do I fix my relationship with others?
- Can I love as Jesus loves – compassionate, merciful, forgiving – I desire this – I pray for this grace –
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me – from Psalm 51
Father Bill Kreutz, SJ Loyola House of Studies Scripture from the New American Bible
