March 4, 2018

Gospel: Jn 2:13-25
As the Passover of the Jews was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple court he found merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip
of cords, he drove them all out of the temple court, together with the oxen and sheep. He knocked over
the tables of the money-changers, scattering the coins, and ordered the people selling doves, “Take all this
away, and stop making a marketplace of my Father’s house!” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture: Zeal for your house devours me like fire. The Jews then questioned Jesus, “Where are the miraculous signs which give you the right to do this?” And Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then replied, “The building of this temple has already taken forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” Actually, Jesus was referring to the temple of his body. Only when he had risen from the dead did his disciples remember these words; then they believed both the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken. Jesus stayed in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, and many believed in his name, when they saw the miraculous signs he performed. But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all of them. He had no need of evidence about anyone, for he himself knew what there was in each one.

Lectio Divina
Read: The Decalogue – the Ten Commandments – are placed before us along with the narrative of Jesus cleansing the temple. Paul reflects on the crucified Messiah as a scandal and nonsense in the eyes of the world, but as the perfect wisdom of God.
Reflect: Understanding the grammar of the cross which is the wisdom of God takes some serious inner cleansing – only if we throw away the merchandise of the world and the many idols that have cluttered our inner sanctuary can we appreciate the meaning and significance of the crucified Messiah who must be placed at the core of our being to be adored as the One True God beside whom no other false gods shall be. If the first commandment has to come alive in our lives, all other lesser loves shall vacate; or rather, all other lesser loves shall be loved in and through the love of the Crucified.
Pray: Pray for an inner cleansing of idols and primacy of the Crucified in your life.
Act: Sit with your family/community; read and reflect together about the Commandment of primacy to God.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018