Third Sunday of Lent

March 4, 2024

Cycle B

Ex 20: 1-17; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11; 1 Cor 1: 1: 22-25; Jn 2: 13-25.

Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up

My sisters and brothers: in our gospel today Jn 2:13-25, we heard how Jesus cleansed the temple of all that could not bring people closer and towards God. He removed the things, animals and people that hindered the true prayer and worship to God. The Temple is a place where the people unite with their God. But when Jesus entered the temple, he witnessed something else, his Father's house was defiled. It became like a market…

In our first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians we learned that each of us are temples of the Holy Spirit. We are all temples of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 6:19, so this season of Lent, we are reminded and encouraged by the Church to clean ourselves. Let's wash our temples of things that hinder us from being close to God. Let's clean ourselves of habits and activities that do not help us to get closer to God.

In today's first reading, we heard the ten commandments of God, here are the activities that we must avoid so that we are not defiled by mortal sin. Obeying God's commandments is a good way to purify ourselves, it is true that we cannot save ourselves. But by obeying these commandments we are able to unite or cooperate for our salvation. This is what God wants for his people then and now.

Brothers and sisters, we should not understand God's commandment as an obstacle to our joys and happiness. That's what the rest of us feel, they don't want to know what God wants because they don't want to be prevented from what they want. This is a big mistake, let's remember that God gave the ten commandments to the Israelites so that they could be a guided in going to the promised land, and for us today, these ten commandments is also is our guide in our journey towards the promised life with God.

I remember a story:

There was a man who strived to be godly who came to the priest to ask for guidance. Because this the priest was happy, then asked him, how are your efforts?

Father, it's ok.

When you say ok, what do you mean?

Father, I have not disobeyed even one of God's commandments.

I have not worshiped idols, I have not used God's name in evil, I have not blasphemed my parents, I have not worked on the Sabbath, I have not killed anyone, I have not committed adultery, I have not stolen, no I did not accuse others, I did not covet other people's property, nor did I covet someone else's wife.

The priest smiled as he listened to him...but to the man... yes, it is true that you have not disobeyed God's ten commandments, not one.

But my question is, did you follow the ten commandments of God?

The man relaxed a bit, father what do you mean?

Not one was disobeyed, but did you follow it?

- Have you shown that there is only one God? Did you pay tribute to God in your deeds and words, did you worship and pray to God on the day of rest? Did you please and serve your parents? Did you take care and enrich the lives of your neighbors? Did you love and care for your spouse? Do you help protect other people's property? Are you doing something so that your neighbor's name is not damaged? Are you careful not to be tempted by your neighbor's wife or his possessions?

You know, after hearing the priest's question, the man seemed embarrassed and slowly left, pondering on the priest's questions... but the good thing is that he became aware. That, it is not enough to avoid bad deeds, that it is also important to do good for God and others. So, he realized, he had been so careful on avoiding wrong doing, now he knew he must not only avoid evil, he also needed to do good.

Jesus' cleansing of the temple challenges us to examine our own lives and hearts.

Just as He exposed hypocrisy and corruption within the temple, He calls us to confront any area of our lives where we have allowed sin and selfishness to take root.

Are there areas in our lives where we prioritize material gain over spiritual growth? Are there thoughts or behaviors that need to be cleansed from our hearts? Let's let Jesus cleanse us of anything that hinders our relationship with God and others. Amen