Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for March 8, 2015

Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple, Cathedrale d’Amiens.

In the first three weeks of Lent, we read of God’s great covenants with the people: God’s promises to the ages through Noah, Abraham and now Moses. God’s thunderous voice shakes the mountain as the awed people hear the Ten Commandments that sum up the principles by which we live with love for God and each other. Hear God’s voice and follow these commandments, God tells Moses in the verses just before these bedrock principles; and you will be God’s treasured possession among all the people.

Psalm: Psalm 19

This familiar hymn of praise and thanksgiving sings in exultation at the beauty and wonder of all God’s creation. In beautiful poetic language it shouts with joy about God’s gift to all the people of the world and to all the span of the universe. And within that creation, the hymn rings on, God’s laws and statutes – the great commandments – give us wisdom and joy and lead us to righteousness.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Paul’s great pastoral letter to the people of Corinth begins with a simple sermon to a community that seems to be splitting into factions: The Cross unites us as one! We may look foolish to both Jews and Gentiles for worshiping as God a man executed on the brutal Roman cross, a symbol of pain, shame and degradation. But their opinion doesn’t matter, because we prefer God’s “foolishness” to mere human wisdom; God’s weakness to the limited power that humans consider strength.

Gospel: John 2:13-22

During the first weeks of Lent we quickly touched on Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ public ministry, from his baptism and prophetic teaching to Peter’s recognition that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Messiah. Now we turn to John’s Gospel for the rest of the season, beginning with John’s colorful account of Jesus throwing the money-changers out of the temple. Then John sets us on the path toward Jesus’ passion and death as Jesus likens his own body to the temple, declaring that he will “rise up” three days after his body’s destruction.