Cycle B - Year II:

4 March 2018: Third Sunday of Lent

(Liturgical Color: Violet)

Readings:

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Gospel:Please Read John 2:13-25

Keep the Lord's house holy and sacred!

We are taught that as Christians we must be meek and humble of heart. But sometimes, it becomes also an excuse for doing nothing, or not getting involved, even in the midst of our chaotic world. The Irish political philosopher, Edmund Burke, once said: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

In our Christian faith, is it really a "sin" to get angry?

In this Sunday's Gospel we read about our Lord Jesus getting angry Himself. In his zeal for God's house, Jesus cleanses the temple of defilement by proclaiming in strong words: "... stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" (Jn 2:16)

Let us see what happened. Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover, which is the customary time of pilgrimage for the Jews. When He was there He found the outer courtyard of the temple chaotic, with money changers doing business, animals are being sold for sacrifice. So Jesus used physical force to expel those doing trade in the temple courtyard.

Now note that we hear Jesus call the temple "my Father's house". He is saying something very important about Himself: He is the Messiah, the Son of God.

And Jesus is also saying something about the Temple of Jerusalem. The temple is the dwelling place of God. Thus, it is a sacred place, a house of prayer and worship dedicated to the glory of God. Thus, it should not be made chaotic, like "a house of trade" or a marketplace.

In our time, the same also applies to our local parish. A Church is a house of prayer and the house of the Lord. It is not a social hall or picnic grove where people meet, or even playground for children. The Church is properly the dwelling place of the Lord. It deserves our respect. For what good is the Church building if we do not make God's presence real in that area?

In sum, the Gospel reading reminds us of the different kinds of temples: the temple made of stones as the place we make our worship; the temple of Christ's Body, which is the Church; and our very own body as a temple of God. In every kind of these temples, we must keep a proper and fitting dwelling place of God, deserving of our due respect. So that in the temple of Christ cleansing the temple of "impurities" we must be ready to do the same whenever the need arises in our time. In that context, it is not "sinful" to get angry at times to defend or cleanse God's dwelling place of those who make it like "a house of trade" or a marketplace.

And the Season of Lent is a good time to "cleanse our hearts" of all that is not of God.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!