1st Reading Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19:8. 9. 10. 11 (R. cf. Jn. 6:68c)
2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 1: 22-25
Gospel John 2: 13-25
RECLAIM THE SENSE OF THE SACRED AND RESTORE YOUR LIFE
Today is the 3rd Sunday of Lent and the first Sunday in March. As a reminder, the month of March is traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. As a man who speaks very few words in the Bible, we too can learn to speak very few words and allow God to take the course of our lives, especially when we are faced with issues beyond our control. Ite ad Ioseph (Go to Joseph).
The word of God for this Sunday touches on very important details to help us live the season of Lent. Let us start with the Gospel passage and say a few things about it.
The Gospel from John 2: 13-25 is the famous passage about Jesus' act of driving traders and money changers out of the Temple in Jerusalem. This is seen as Jesus' cleansing of the Temple. The passage follows his first sign performed in Cana in Galilee, thus changing water into wine (Jn. 2: 1-12). We can see that Jesus moved from the North to the South, from Cana in Galilee to Jerusalem. There is a change of location. This change is because of the PASSOVER.
The Passover is one of the three pilgrim feasts of the Israelites (Deut. 16:16; Exod. 23:14-17). This means that all Jews, especially men who are 12 years and above, are mandated to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and worship. This will explain why the Gospel gives the idea that there were many people in the Temple and business was, as it were, booming. People will need animals for sacrifice and they can purchase them at the Temple area because the animals for sacrifice are to be unblemished, instead of taking animals from long distances and some may end up bringing blemished animals. In fact, they were not to appear before the Lord empty-handed (Exod. 23:15). Many people will be in Jerusalem and businessmen and women will make a lot of money.
We should know also that Passover is celebrated to mark the LIBERATION of Israelites when they were in Egypt.
We also need to underscore that the buying and selling, and the money changing took place not in the Temple itself but in the "Temple area" (Jn. 2: 14), thus, in the court of the Gentiles or even outside of it. The Gentiles who are not Jews are not allowed to enter the Temple because Jews consider them unclean.
We can then realise that the buying and selling of animals and money changing was not a bad thing. It is normal to change money because, as Passover is a pilgrim feast and many people will flock to Jerusalem, they have to acquire the currency or coin of the Temple before they can buy the animals, purchase a few things in Jerusalem for the celebration, and even make offerings in the Temple in monetary terms.
The problem is not about the business because it was a necessity. The problem is also not about the kind of things sold and bought. No! The real problem lies in the attitude of the people, both sellers and buyers. Jesus states the problem by saying they turned the Temple into "a marketplace" (Jn. 2:16). That is why he drove them out. If we consider the activity, it is a normal market activity. So, why should Jesus drive them out? It quickly informs us that there is more to the "marketplace". What is "a marketplace"?
The Greek word used for "marketplace" is "EMPORION." This is the place where trading takes place as usual, but it is a "common" place. Anyone can go there. Aside from that, the area is not accorded a spiritual respect but given a temporal meaning. It is seen as "one of those places." In this case, the sacredness of the place is lost, and it will not be surprising to see robbers and thieves there. In the final analysis, an "EMPORION" is a place of temporal affairs, not religious affairs. Exactly, that is what is happening in the Temple precinct or court of the Gentiles (where the business was taking place). Gradually, familiarity with the place is breeding contempt for it, and its meaning and respect are being lost. The very purpose for which the Temple and the feast of Passover were instituted (Exod. 12: 24-27) is being downplayed. The moment the manifest or real purpose of an institution is lost, there is always a loss of identity and status. If we are losing our identity as Christians, then it is starting from the way we are changing the meaning of our worship and feasts to what they are not.
Dear friends, this loss of reverence and respect for the Temple as a place of worship and encounter with God serves as a cautionary tale for us today. It reminds us to safeguard the sacredness of our spiritual practices and institutions, ensuring that they retain their intended purpose and meaning.
This Lent, as we journey towards Easter, let us reflect on the ways in which we may have trivialized or neglected the sacred in our lives. Whether it be through casual attitudes towards prayer, lack of reverence in our worship, especially the Holy Mass, or prioritizing temporal concerns over spiritual growth, let us strive to rekindle a deep sense of reverence and awe for the things of God.
Pax et Bonum.
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