Posted: 3/11/2009 7:28:14 AM EDT
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Sunday, March 15, 2009
Third Sunday of Lent Reading 1 Ex 20:1-17 or 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17 1 In those days, God delivered all these commandments: 2 "I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. 3 You shall not have other gods besides me. 4 You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; 5 you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; 6 but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain. 8 "Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. 9 Six days you may labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. 11 In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. 12 "Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you. 13 You shall not kill. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him." or 1 In those days, God delivered all these commandments: 2 "I, the LORD am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. 3 You shall not have other gods besides me. 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain. 8"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. 12 Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you. 13 You shall not kill. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him." Reading II 1 Cor 1:22-25 Brothers and sisters: 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Gospel Jn 2:13-25 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, 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 The 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. 
Overview of the Gospel: · The incident of Jesus cleansing the temple appears in all four Gospels. In the synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) it appears at the end of Jesus’ ministry, while in John, from which this Sunday’s reading is taken, it appears at the end. Most probably it occurred both times, each gospel writer including only the episode he thought most significant for his readers. · The time is the Passover, the major feast of the Jews mentioned three times in John’s gospel (6:4; 13:1). The place is Jerusalem, where nearly 80% of events related by John take place. · Such a major feast at such an important location brought scores of pilgrims who would gather at the temple to offer the sacrifices and temple tax required of all male Jews, 19 years of age and older. Many Gentiles (non-Jews) interested in Judaism would also gather there. · The buying and selling of sacrificial animals and the currency exchange for approved coins to pay the tax took place in the outer temple court—the Court of the Gentiles, which is the only place in the temple where non-Jews could enter and worship. As could be imagined, the noise, the dealing and the smell could scandalize visitors who came to worship the God of Israel. · The Old Testament prophets warned Israel about profaning the temple and offering unworthy sacrifices (Jeremiah 7:10-11; Zechariah 14:20-21). It was predicted that in the last days the Messiah would appear to visit and cleanse the temple (Malachi 3:1-3). Questions: · How might the once useful practice of the sale of sacrificial animals at the temple have deteriorated into a racket? Why else was Jesus angry (Psalm 69:10)? · As one of the sellers, how would you feel about Jesus’ action? As one of the disciples? · How is Jesus challenged (verse 18)? Why? What effect does this response have on them? · Why doesn’t Jesus entrust himself “to men” (see RSVCE) in verses 23-25? See John 3:1-2. · If you compare your spiritual life to the rooms of a house, which room do you think Jesus might want to clean up this Lent: a) Library—the reading/media room? b) Dining room—appetites, desires? c) Workshop—where you keep your skills and talents? d) Family room—where most of your relationships are lived out? e) Closet—where your “hang-ups” are? · How does Jesus’ cleansing of the temple apply to the Church and to us as Christians (1 Peter 4:17; 1 Corinthians 6:13-20, especially verse 19; Hebrews 12:4-11, 14; CCC 1695)? Catechism of the Catholic Church: 575 Jesus and the Pharisees. 583-586 Jesus and the Temple. 593 Jesus venerated the Temple. 994 "I am the Resurrection and the life." |
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· If you compare your spiritual life to the rooms of a house, which room do you think Jesus might want to clean up this Lent: a) Library—the reading/media room? b) Dining room—appetites, desires? c) Workshop—where you keep your skills and talents? d) Family room—where most of your relationships are lived out? e) Closet—where your “hang-ups” are?
I pretty well took care of the media room after the election, if I was going to keep my sanity I had to turn off the news and talk radio. B is one that I am sure that the Lord needs to provide me with some extra graces, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. As for C I dont' see myself as overly skilled or talented, but I try to serve God with what I have. D comes pretty natural for me. E, I am not sure what that means. |
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How might the once useful practice of the sale of sacrificial animals at the temple have deteriorated into a racket? Why else was Jesus angry (Psalm 69:10)?
The sellers would have known that if the people got to the temple and did not yet have an animal to sacrifice, they would have no choice but to buy one there. So, they would have been able to charge much higher prices than the animals were worth, and the animals were not necessarily top quality (unblemished). The money changers could have also charged higher than the "going" rates knowing the pilgrims had no choice. Jesus was also angry because the sellers had moved from outside the temple to actually being in the temple. It would be like a bake sale of stale brownies taking place in the sanctuary, practically on the altar - not exactly an appropriate event for the Father's house! As one of the sellers, how would you feel about Jesus’ action? As one of the disciples? I'm sure the sellers were pretty angry about Jesus' actions. The disciples were probably confused - they often did not understand Jesus' words and actions until later. Why doesn’t Jesus entrust himself “to men” (see RSVCE) in verses 23-25? See John 3:1-2. Jesus knows that some men are just "wowed" by his signs and miracles but do not posses true belief in him. They only have an intellectual faith but not faith coming from the heart. God does not want this type of faith, but rather he desires faith in which we commit our entire selves to him. |