March 4, 2018

3rd Sunday of Lent B Exodus 20: 1-17; 1 Corinthians 1: 22-25; John 2: 13-25 The readings today remind us that God is the center of our lives. Is God the center of my life today? What are my priorities? Where does God fall on this list? Do I consider my ministry as most important…your spouse…your children and family…your job…your church…your community… yourself as most important? Just where do I fit Jesus in? Is He a part of each of these relationships and commitments? Am I consistently turning my life over to Jesus? Sunday Homily Helps shares this summary of today’s readings: “God’s work of creation is never finished. We read in Genesis that God looked on creation ‘as very good.’ Yet through humans turning away from God, this goodness is threatened. The commandments and Jesus’ witness are God’s direct actions to turn people back toward Him and the path of life. God brought the people ‘out of the land of Egypt’ and continues to try to bring people out of sin and death and return them toward life in Him.” We look to the readings to help us in this lenten task. It is very interesting that today’s account of Jesus cleansing of the Temple takes place at the very beginning of John’s Gospel. The Synoptic writers , Matthew, Mark and Luke place this ‘cleansing’ in conjunction of Jesus’ passion, right after His Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem. Why would this discrepancy happen? Scripture scholars tell us that historically the synoptics are probably more accurate. The purpose of John is theological combining two events that are found separately in the synoptics: the cleansing and the prediction of the temple’s destruction. So why would John shift this cleansing from Holy Week to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry? What does Jesus mean by destroying the temple? The Apostles just didn’t understand this nor did the Jews. The key is found in the verse, “His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, ‘Zeal for Your house will consume me.’” This passage refers to Psalm 69:9 which is a powerful and beautiful psalm, totally meant to be reflected on during our Lenten journey. Here ‘consume me’ refers to Jesus’ crucifixion. The scriptural scholar Reginald Fuller explains it this way: “ John wants to make Jesus lay out all His cards on the table right at the outset. The destruction of the temple, that is, the end of the Jewish dispensation and its worship, is the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ whole ministry. The way that the Jewish people worshiped, their entire ritual and order of worship is to be replaced by a new one. They had focused on the old temple…now there is the new temple—the body of Christ. This is the glorified humanity of Christ, the promised Messiah. The Jews couldn’t understand why Jesus had driven out the merchants and they challenged His authority by requesting a sign. John uses a method he employs frequently to move the reader below the surface of the story to the deeper meaning. The Jews take Jesus’ words literally whereas Jesus is talking about ‘the temple of His body.’ How could the apostles understand this until they experienced Jesus’ death and resurrection? When they did they were able to look back and grasp what Jesus meant. They were then able to believe Jesus and what He said. Isn’t it interesting that John follows this scene with people who came to believe in Jesus after they had a relationship with Him: the Pharisee Nicodemus who came to believe in Jesus, then John’s the Baptist’s disciples sent to see if Jesus was the promised Messiah and finally the Samaritan woman who was the first nonJew, Gentile and woman who believed in Jesus and became His follower. We go shopping and for months have noticed Easter bunnies all over. Society is reminding us that Easter is a commercial enterprise. Does it have any relationship with ‘Jesus is the reason for the season.’? We are constantly being distracted. The Israelites were distracted. They needed help to keep their focus straight. God, as always, comes helping in a totally loving, caring way. He showed them how God loves them and needs them to love. The Ten Commandments address issues that had spoiled human relationships with God and neighbor since the beginning of time. If they followed these commandments, the relationship will heal and dramatically be stronger and filled with life and love. These ‘Ten Ways’ begin with a clear reminder of Israel’s origins. They were slaves, even slaves to themselves and their own ways of doing things. Idols and all sorts of earthly distractions have enticed them away from God. God never gave up on them. God never gives up on me. God never gives up on anyone. God is always lifting me and directing me toward love and life. When I make myself the center of my own world rather than God, I turn away from God and really can’t love. I am consumed with a ‘love’ of myself which really isn’t love at all. God is constantly leading me. Do I want to be led by God? Can I see that His mantra, ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel.’ is the way to life? Repent, change my direction…believe, trust in God and His ways…in the Gospel that God loves me first…God loves each person first…God does this so that I can experience that above all God is a God of love and lives this love every moment in my life. Reflecting on the Word from Living the Word ,”Zeal for the temple to be a house of prayer consumed Jesus. So did zeal for helping us know God’s zeal, God’s passion, for us. That zeal took Him to the cross. There days later He was raised up. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s zeal for us. They show us how to deepen our relationship with God and express our zeal for God by how we treat our neighbor. They and their deeper meanings are countercultural: do not kill in body or spirit, be faithful in heart and body, speak truth no matter the cost; be satisfied with what you have. The deep meanings do not reflect the wisdom of a world that can kill with words, looks’ and attitudes; or that seeks more, not less; or that used people and creation often for self-gain. God’s wisdom seems foolish to many. But if zeal for God consumes us, that ‘foolish’ wisdom becomes our strength. Lent invites us to re-evaluate our priorities. What needs to change so that my zeal for God is clear? What needs to die within me so God can raise me up? Seek God’s wisdom. Pray with the psalmist: ‘Lord , You have the words of everlasting life.’” So I reflect on: • Fill in the blank: Zeal for ________ consumes me. • I name one change that can make me show that zeal for God consumes me. • Am I satisfied with my relationship with God? Am I allowing God to help me grow into His person of love, kindness, forgives, peace? Sacred Space 2018 shares: “I imagine myself visiting the temple when Jesus enters. I am accustomed to the money changers and to the hucksters who convenience worshippers by selling cattle, sheep, and doves for the ritual sacrifices. The fury of Jesus startles and upsets me, makes me think. Surely these guys are making honest money? But this is the house of God. When money creeps in, it tends to take over. Is there any of the Christian sacraments untouched by commercialism? Christening parties, first communion money, confirmation dances and wedding feasts—they are meant to be the touch of God at key moments in our lives; but can God get a hearing amid the clatter of coins?”