Third Sunday of Lent

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17

Responsorial: Psalms 19:8, 9, 10, 11

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Gospel: John 2:13-25

Spring Cleaning: Come as You Are

Today’s gospel is typically referred to as the cleansing of the Temple, rather than something more graphic like “Jesus Loses it”; but, as the text suggests, this is what seems to happen.  The “Lamb of God” is overturning tables and using an improvised whip to drive the money changers from the Temple. 

The writer of this gospel puts this episode at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (unlike the other gospels, which set it at the beginning of Passover).  Also,  this gospel focuses on Jesus’ prophetic destruction and rebuilding of the Temple in three days.  Both of these features are unique to the Gospel of John. 

Considering the emphasis on receiving the Law in Exodus, today's reading is a theological complement; Jesus himself fulfills the law and is the new temple of worship.  Worshiping God no longer is a function of ritual observances, but the sustaining work of a more intimate relationship though the person of Christ.  That is why Jesus’ discussion of rebuilding of the Temple refers to himself as the new Temple: the place where one goes to encounter God.  There is no need to “change” what you have to the money of the Temple to then buy an offering.  Christ is both the temple and sacrifice. 

In Mark and Luke, the gospels reveal the corruption of the entire system of money-changing and offering inferior sacrifices to those who could not offer a proper sacrifice.  Jesus’ anger sprang from seeing the separation of the classes and the burden imposed upon the poor to gain access to worshiping God; it was, quite literally, an economy of mediation. 

As a Church that carries on the mission of Jesus the Christ, it is important for us to occasionally “clean house” of the practices that keep people from approaching God in worship.  Lent is a journey of cleansing of our temple, of driving out those elements which seek to undermine the egalitarian nature of God.  For example, perhaps our pride, or our selfishness can keep God’s grace at arm’s distance for some we deem unworthy.  Today’s gospel asks us to consider what elements in our temple need removing because it hinders God’s grace from being distributed to all who come.  Is the grace we distribute the quid pro quo of the Temple of Jesus’ time, or is it simply the quid pro nihil “This for nothing” that Christ offered us and we are to offer the world?