3rd Sunday of Lent (B)

Ex 20:1-17; 1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25

A rabbi, a protestant minister, and a Catholic priest were having a discussion as to how they divided up the collection plate. The rabbi explained that he drew a circle on the ground, tossed the collection in the air, and that all the money that landed in the circle was for God and all that landed outside was for himself and the parish. The protestant pastor said that his system was quite similar: He just drew a straight line, tossed the money up, and that what landed on one side was for God and on the other for himself and the church. The Catholic priest admitted that his system worked along somewhat the same lines. “I just toss the plate up in the air,” he explained, “and anything God can catch he can keep.”

(The story is from an unknown author)

The Jews believed that the temple of Jerusalem is the house of God. People may read the Bible and sing the psalms in the synagogues of their towns, but only in the temple were the sacred offerings can be made. Jews from different places came to Jerusalem to worship and honor their God. They felt secured that as long as they have the temple, they will have God to protect and sanctify the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

However, during the time of Jesus, the temple of Jerusalem became a place of corruption and lust for power. Religious authorities and their cohorts disposed selfishly the offerings and gifts brought by the worshippers. They also received a large share of the taxes paid by the temple sellers and money-changers. The Jews believed that some animals or things were more acceptable offerings than others, which explains the presence of money-changers and sellers in the temple court. Devout worshippers, especially the poor who had to deal with sellers and money-changers, were often manipulated. Such was the background of Jesus’ anger and action in the gospel. “Take all this away and stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

During the penitential season of Lent, Church ministers are reminded to remain righteous and generous in serving the people of God. People believe that God is present in Churches and other houses of prayer. Privately and communally, they would come to these sacred places to praise and honor God, to thank and make offerings, to seek for forgiveness, and to pray for their needs. Church ministers should welcome and assist them as they find their way to God. Ministers must be prudent enough to avoid any forms of bargaining and selling. The sacraments are not for sale because God’s grace cannot be bought. Any form of offering to the Church must be fully voluntary and must be done heartily. Importantly, ministers must not deny people a sacrament or any Church service simply because of their inability to give financial or material offerings.

Furthermore, the season of Lent reminds all of us that God, primarily, resides not in a building but in the person of Jesus. By saying “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up,” Jesus was referring to the temple of his body. We, therefore, need to worship a personal God, not a thing or a place. We become holy by following the person of Jesus, not simply by touching holy objects or by visiting holy places.