Exodus 20:1-17
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-25

Cleansing Our Bodily Temple

The readings for the Third Sunday of Lent remind us that we must follow God’s commandments and truly live them in our hearts to find an honest, meaningful life. The first reading repeats the ten commandments first given to Moses.  In the second reading Paul reminds us that God’s wisdom is not like human wisdom. The Gospel of John tells about Jesus cleansing the temple of the money changers who put their own desires above serving God.

The gospel for this Sunday shows a side of Jesus we don’t see in any other reading. He is upset. He is angry. Jesus arrives at the temple in Jerusalem and sees a marketplace instead of a sacred place. Jesus takes a whip and chases the money changers, sellers, and animals from the temple. He tells them, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” In the Old Testament, and even today, the temple was recognized as a sacred place, a place where God was present and close to the people. Offering sacrifice to God was always important when done sincerely. It was a way of telling God that the Covenant between God and the Israelites was being lived out in their lives. Using the temple primarily as a market place was the opposite of the covenant beliefs rather than as a way to ask for God’s forgiveness and help to begin again. 

By driving out the merchants and money changers, Jesus was purifying the temple of all that was contrary to God’s will. He was removing the distractions and impurities that had taken over the temple and restoring it to its intended purpose as a place of worship and prayer. It is important for us today, to follow the example of Jesus to eliminate distractions and weaknesses in our lives that prevent true worship on our part. This means being mindful of our thoughts, words, and actions, and ensuring that they are aligned with God’s will. We must be honest with ourselves and acknowledge our own weaknesses and faults, and be willing to ask God for forgiveness and guidance. 

Being in our own sacred places of worship provides us with a sacred, physical space that inspires us to be present to our loving God residing there. It is up to us to participate fully in the services. It is up to us to eliminate distractions (including cell phones). It is up to us to recognize the importance of communal worship. It is up to us to be with our God in body, mind and spirit.

We are taught that we are the temple of God. We need to spend quiet, prayerful time in the temple within us. Keeping our minds and hearts open to God’s presence is central and essential to Christian living. Time for prayer and honest self-reflection are needed for this reality to be recognized daily in our own lives. Lent is always a good time for deep and honest prayer and reflection. Let us make this Lent a time of personal cleansing of thoughts, words and actions that limit our closeness to our loving God. Let us make the temple of our body the sacred space God created it to be.

In what ways do I recognize my place of worship as a sacred place that requires my respect and prayerful presence?

When and how do I take time to go deep within to the core of my being, to my own sacred temple to spend quiet, prayerful time with my loving God?