Third Sunday of Lent: B: March 3, 2024

              MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER

First Reading: Exodus 20: 1-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 22-25

Gospel Reading: John 2: 13-25

   *First reading is from the book of Exodus. A description of how the Lord God gave ten commandments to Moses is given. Instructions regarding how these commandments are to be observed by the chosen people of God are mentioned. These commandments are the road map for the people to lead a holy life pleasing to the Lord God. They are told to observe them to have the special relationship with Him. Hence, these commandments regulate and govern them to have proper relationship with fellow-humans and the Lord God. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul is at great pains to explain to the Christian community at Corinth that the crucified Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. But in truth, He is the power and the wisdom of God. 

Jesus cleanses the Jerusalem temple                                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. The demeaning happenings at the Jerusalem temple when Jesus arrives there with His disciples are narrated. Often in the Gospels we meet a Jesus who is compassionate, kind and forgiving. But in the Gospel narrative, we meet a Jesus who is full of zeal for His Father's house. The context is: The misuse or abuse of the temple and its premises where less of worship of God and more of trading and business was taking place. People from different parts of the world come to Jerusalem temple to offer sacrifices, worship and prayers. As a result, the temple premises looked more like a market place rather than a place of worship. There are money changers, those who sell pigeons, goats and various other sacrificial animals. Jesus is deeply disturbed and pained to see all these unholy activities taking place there. He is disgusted by the constant desecration of the temple and its premises. So He tells them: "You shall not make my Father's house into a house of trade". He makes a whip and drives out all those who are buying and selling and exchanging money. This action of Jesus should make us reflect and stand against any distortion of values in the Church and in the society at large. It is a specific warning for all of us not to make places of worship into places of business. 

"The risen Lord is the new Temple, the real meeting place between God and man." - Pope Benedict XVI

(Please note: "Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph svd" is available on YouTube for 'Third Sunday of Lent:B)