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Reflection by Deacon Russ for 3rd Sunday of Lent

What are we to make of the Gospel reading today? In part, it deals with the very sensitive issue about the relationship between money and Church. Was Jesus opposed to the idea of giving money for holy purposes? Money changers, sacrificial animals for sale, offering boxes and other forms of commerce were a normal part of the Temple area. So what’s the big deal? Why use a whip? Why overthrow the tables? Was Jesus just having a bad day?

No, this is not it. What Jesus is frustrated with in the Gospel reading is how the temple was changed from a “prophetic” place into a “profitable” place. After a while, however, Jewish prophets and theologians began to make the connection that the sacrifice that God desires isn’t the blood of animals, but the sacrifice of a humble and contrite heart. Jesus doesn’t see this kind of spiritual conversion happening at the temple, in the House of God, and so he drives them out with a whip.

And a remarkable reversal in the theology of sacrifice is foreshadowed in this story, especially as we make our pilgrimage through Lent into Holy Week! Jesus says to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” He is referring, of course, to his pending death and resurrection. His death, remember, is for the atonement of our sins, and here is the reversal. It is no longer we who sacrifice animals to God for the atonement of our sins. It is rather God who now sacrifices himself for us and the sake of our salvation. All that is asked from our part is to offer ourselves to him in return, to offer a conversion of heart, and to demonstrate this conversion in the way we love God and neighbor. This is far more pleasing to God than burnt offerings.

Lent is an opportunity for us to grow spiritually, to grow closer to Jesus in every facet of our life. Besides the physical temple, besides the temple that Jesus refers to as being destroyed and rebuilt in three days, there is also the temple that we are called to be, the temple that houses the Lord. St. Paul says that we are God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in us. Today is a good day to ask if we have ever driven the Lord out of the temple of our hearts? We have driven him out if we put ourselves above others. We have driven him out if we harbor grudges against someone, hate someone, judge them harshly, or ignore their cry for help. We have driven him out if we don’t make time for prayer.

The heart of every Christian is a temple of God. Today we reflect on what needs to be purified in the temple of our souls so to prepare our hearts for Easter joy. We need to ask ourselves, are there items going on in our hearts that need to be driven out? Through prayer and the Sacraments, Jesus will help cleanse our hearts, not with a whip but with love.

If you have a brief faith reflection on today’s reading that you would like to share, please send it to me at deaconruss@holyspiritunoh.org.