3rd Sunday of Lent (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 3rd Sunday of Lent (B), March 11, 2012

Liturgical readings

Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-25

"He was talking about the temple of His Body."

There is a DVD on "The Gospel of John". What makes the film very good is its focus on the gospel story and not the actors. No famous names nor multi-awarded actors nor actresses are mentioned. This was done for the viewers' attention; that they may not be distracted from the storyline of John's gospel. In the film, when the scene that refers to the story of Jesus' Cleansing of the Temple is shown, Jesus' zeal and indignation at the moneychangers in the Temple was forcefully represented. Even when the many details of the scene are already added interpretations of the film's producers, the viewers will still understand well the value of respect for sacred things, places and all that pertains to worshipping Yahweh.

That film's scene on the Cleansing of the Temple is this Sunday's gospel. The gospel refers to Jesus presenting His Body as a temple. He prophesied that when His enemies would destroy the temple of His Body, God will bring it back to Life. Jesus' hearers and followers did not understand this at first. So did the all the Jewish people of His time. They always knew the temple as the temple King Solomon built for them (which took many years to build). Only when the events of the crucifixion, death and resurrection happened, did Christ's followers begin to understand more what Jesus was teaching regarding the temple of His Body. It was that Temple that was brought to life again after three days.

From the Scriptures John wrote, to the film's scene on the Cleansing on the Temple, we are now called to understand what it means today. We live in a very modern and secularized environment. In this secularized world one can learn to respect sacred realities and things as it was in the olden days. All the monks, desert fathers and saints of Eastern and Western Christianity give a very good example of piety and fear of God. They and the Church today know well the danger of impiety, irreverence and disrespect against all sacred matters. Modern man can live among many man-made things but need not be too attached to it. Too much attachment can produce arrogance and pride in the soul.

So this Sunday's gospel reminds all of us to place God above all - especially when in His Temple. It makes all realize that man-made things are simply means, and not ends in themselves. Christ teaches all the faithful to have a healthy detachment and indifference to all matters that pertain to world.