March 4 - Third Sunday in Lent : Reverence vs Religion

 

First Reading  Exodus 20:1-17 (or shorter form, Exodus 20:1-3,7-8,12-17)

Moses is given the Ten Commandments.

 

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 19:8,9,10,11

A prayer of praise to God who gives us his commandments

 

Second Reading  1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Paul preaches Christ crucified to the Corinthians.

 

Gospel Reading John 2:13-25

 

The Gospel for the third Sunday of Lent interrupts the Mark’s Gospel we have been reading to give us a little of John’s. It is here to show us the prophecy of Jesus Resurrection – the event that we are preparing for in Lent, but I would like you to also note that the one time that Jesus gets angry that we are told about happens here as well. It happens because Jesus sees the commandments of our relationship to God being damaged. The house of God, the temple where God dwelt was considered sacred. It was where worship was held, it was where God’s name was never taken in vain, but glorified. Yet the porticos of the Temple were surrounded by trade and finance, and indeed, more emphasis was being put on the buying and selling than the worship and sacrifice itself. Jesus’ anger caused the event that did more than any other to upset the priests and Pharisees and directly led to the death he was about to suffer. So it is an important event. In some sense it was foolish of Jesus and because he gave into his human violence, it may have led to his own violent death. But Paul tells us God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” God had a plan, and that plan brought about nothing less than the salvation of all people.