Gospel Reflection for Third Sunday of Lent
When Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem, he confronted the money changers and those selling animals for sacrifice. He made a whip out of cords and drove them out, overturning the tables and spilling their coins. He said to them: “…stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” [John 2: 13-25] He was not displaying an angry fit of temper but giving dramatic testimony in order to reveal the new order of true worship.
Animal sacrifice was a necessary part of worship in the Old Covenant. Remember Mary and Joseph offered a pair of doves in thanksgiving when they presented the infant Jesus in the Temple. But the Temple had been corrupted through human pride and greed. So, Jesus’ action is rightly called a cleansing or purification. He was resisted by those who controlled and profited from the commerce. When they demanded a sign of his authority, he declared “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Thus, he announced the end of the corrupted temple cult and the advent of the new Temple of his Risen Body, which is the Church.
Since Jesus is indeed the Living God, dwelling among his people, we who share in his Holy Spirit through Baptism are in fact incorporated into the new Temple. We are “living stones” and we build up the place of true worship in Christ. Now there is a new Covenant which does away with archaic aspects of the Mosaic Law such as animal sacrifice. True worship is now offered by the Lord himself through his death and Resurrection. We who participate in this Mystery must be cleansed and purified. Lent is a time and opportunity for purification.
Remember Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. [Matthew 5: 17] He was speaking specifically of the Ten Commandments. Obedience to the Commandments is fundamental for our moral and spiritual lives so we may have right relationship with God and neighbor. It is important then, especially in Lent, to examine our lives in light of the Commandments as Jesus perfected and fulfilled them for us.
The first reading on this Third Sunday of Lent presents the Commandments for our reflection: “I the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me.” [Exodus 20: 1-3] This is the first and most important commandment because God himself is our highest good. We should ask ourselves what things have the highest priority in our lives. Is God first? Does the desire for possessions, prestige, power, or pleasure come before our love for God?
God wants to be first in our lives for our sake. Because he loves us, he wants to draw us to perfection and true happiness. Therefore, we must reverence his Holy Name. The second commandment is not just about the words we use but about our very relationship with God. All of our words and actions should reflect the realization of our absolute dependance on God. Fear of the Lord is the gift that keeps us in right relationship with him.
True worship is not just about participation in ritual. Being in communion with all the members of God’s Temple, which is the Church, allows us to be in right relationship with him. If someone were to say, “I’m spiritual and I love God, but I don’t want or need the Church,” they would be sadly mistaken. Therefore, we who recognize our obligation to keep holy the Lord’s Day are constantly concerned about and always praying for those who stay away from the Eucharist.
These first three Commandments define our dependence on and obligations to God. The remaining seven define our interdependence on others and our obligations in justice and love. We would all do well in spending time meditating on the Commandments during Lent. They help us evaluate our lives and encourage us to trust in the power of God’s forgiveness in the Sacraments. We must not forget that Mercy and Grace are freely available to us. Through prayer, penance and works of charity we advance toward true worship and right relationship with God and neighbor.