I am the Lord, your God
Third Sunday of Lent - Year B
Exodus 20:1-7; 1 Cor 1:22-25; John 2:13-25
In October 2015, the Ten Commandments monument was removed from government property in Oklahoma, US. The action was ordered by a court and the removal was done during the night. That act has a symbolic significance. The twenty-first-century man has usurped the role of liberator and legislator and is establishing new criteria of good and evil. But that is not what the Bible says: "I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the place of slavery". Only God can set us free and with this freedom comes responsibility. For a believer certain actions are forbidden - “thou shalt not” - and certain deeds are necessary - “thou shalt”.
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, comes to the temple and finds it being transformed into “a house of merchandise” (John 2:16). When a house of prayer becomes a money-making enterprise something is wrong. Jesus’ symbolic action of cleansing the temple reminds us about the priority of theology over the economy, worship of God over making a profit. “The love of money is the root of all evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10). On the other hand, in knowing Jesus Christ is life eternal (John 17:3).
“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:22). The sign and wisdom meet in the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). Christianity is the most persecuted religion globally. Some reports indicate that one Christian is killed every 11 minutes somewhere on earth for their faith. Yet, at the same time, Christianity is one of the fastest-growing religions, with nearly 70,000 added each day - through conversion and births into Christian families. Why is that so? Christ crucified draws people to Himself. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16) for you and me. Jesus lived for God and us and this life of love to the point of shedding blood for sinful humanity defeated death.
Ten Commandments, the prediction of death and resurrection of Christ, and preaching Christ crucified form the message of today’s liturgy of the Word. The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders. Through the ‘sign and wonder’ of the Cross and Resurrection, Lord Jesus brings us out of sin into the freedom of God’s children. "I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the place of slavery. You shall not have other gods beside me" (Ex. 20:3).
The refrain of today's responsorial psalm contains the words of apostle Peter: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). To whom do you go? Turn toward Christ crucified who loves you and gave His life for you. Only He has the words of eternal life and in Him, you can find freedom and salvation.