FROM THE PULPIT Third Sunday of Lent Year B Scripture: Exodus 20: 1-17; Ps 19; 1Corinthians 1: 22-25; John 2: 13-25. Reflection: Jesus, sacrifice and Temple Fr. Benoit Mukamba, CSSp.
The Ten Commandments proclaimed in the first reading set the stage for understanding the action of Jesus in the Gospel. God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel as their guide to blessedness and life. God declares himself as a jealous God who desires to see all his creatures adore Him.
The Jews thought Christ was cursed by God by dying on the cross, while Greeks demanded intellectual arguments to convince them about Jesus and God’s salvific action to the world. For us it is the only fortune to believe in Christ, the only way to our salvation. For Christ to us is the power and wisdom of God. Because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is more powerful than human strength. In the Gospel according to John, Jesus expels those who were trading in the temple, a sign that messianic times for building a new temple where all people will worship God in truth and spirit are near. The true lamb of sacrifice pleasing to God is here. The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross replaces the old sacrifice of animals. Question to ask yourself; How did this people trade in the temple, while knowing it was clear that it was a house of prayer? Before thinking about the behaviors of the Jews, we ought to reflect on what happens in our parishes. Many parishes have gift shops, sell dinners, hold festivals and run bingos. Some of these businesses are conducted at the door of the Church. All these activities seem normal and profitable to the community. And so, were the business that took place in the Temple Area in Jerusalem.
The gospel clearly states that it was near The Jewish Passover. This festival was celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan (March-April) followed by a weekly ceremony where they ate unleavened bread (Ex. 34:23). The Passover feast was a period of pilgrimage. One of the most important acts of pilgrims was to offer a sacrifice of burnt animals like sheep, cattle or dove each according to its capacity. All of your males shall appear forth three times a year before the Lord your God: for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and feasts of Tabernacles. No one will appear before the Lord empty-handed: each of you must bring a gift according to the way the Lord your God had blessed you (Deuteronomy 16:16) (Leviticus 5:7), they also had to pay taxes or tithing (Ex. 30:13). Since the people came from far away they could not transport animals for sacrifice. There were people selling animals worthy of sacrifice in the temple and others were breaking or converting money from the Roman currency to a Jewish currency as the coin allowed to sacrifice in the temple was merely a Jewish currency. According to roman currency law it was prohibited from being offered as an offering because it had a picture of the ruler of Rome. But since they were under Roman rule, the Roman currency was used in business and normal life. So I had to replace it with a Jewish currency to sacrifice. So some Jews did these businesses in the temple area, a part of the Temple where Gentiles were allowed in.
It is in this context Jesus enters the temple to pray and meets a disturbing condition. And he made a whip out of the ropes, and drew them all out, and overthrew the tables of the silver-changers and said unto them; "Do not make my Father's house a house of Business. This house is a house of prayer." Jesus’ action fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Zachariah, which says; “No longer will there be merchants in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day (Zach 14:21-22). Jesus' action to expel businesses from the temple is a symbol of the fulfillment of the messianic era and prophecy. That is why the Jews ask him with what authority and what sign will you show us that you are doing this? They wanted a proof of conformity with the Law and source of power of Jesus’ action.
Jesus answered them; "Destroy this temple and after three days I will raise it up” (John 2:21). The Temple officials and even His apostles thought Jesus meant the Temple built by Herod the Great. This Temple replaced the Ark of the Covenant and the Tent of Meeting that symbolized God's presence during the Exodus. Thus the Jews believed that God was found in the Jerusalem Temple only, which is why they had to go there to pray and sacrifice. Jesus is talking about a new Temple, where pure sacrifices will be offered and accepted, Jesus Christ Himself. That is why Jesus told the Samaritan woman; "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. But, (…) true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-24). This new temple is Christ’s body. For all the perfection of godliness is in Christ in the form of the human body (Col. 2:9). Jesus compares the Temple of Jerusalem to His body, and thus reveals to us the mystery of God's incarnation to take over flesh and come to dwell amongst us. After his suffering, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, now Jesus is in our midst in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
During the Lenten season, Mother Church forms us in the practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in order to empower us to defeat temptation and sin. For Jesus Christ made us sharers in his divine life and Temples of the Holy Spirit. Hence, Christ made us true worshipers as we exercise fervently the Lenten practices. We long one day to see Him in his fullness and be like Him all things. May the Spirit of God open up our minds to grasp the mystery explained to us, our hearts to love God. May he give us strength and zeal to serve Him and share the good news with our neighbors.