Third Sunday of Lent

It-3 Ħadd tar-Randan

Messalin B pp 154

Reading 1 - Exodus 20:1-17

In those days, God delivered all these commandments:“I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.You shall not have other gods besides me.You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them.For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.“You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.For the LORD will not leave unpunished the one who takes his name in vain.“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you.In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested.That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.“Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you.You shall not kill.You shall not commit adultery.You shall not steal.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.” This is the Word of The Lord

L-Ewwel Qari - mill-Ktieb ta' l-Eżodu 20, 1-17

F'dak iż-żmien, Alla tkellem u qal dan kollu lill-poplu:"Jiena hu l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, li ħriġtek mill-art tal-Eġittu,minn dar il-jasar. Ma jkollokx allat oħra għajri.La tagħmilx għalik suriet minquxa u ebda xbieha ta' ebda ħaġa li hemm fil-għoli tas-sema, jew isfel fl-art, jew fil-baħar taħt l-art. La tmilx quddiemhom: laa tadurahom għaliex jiena hu l-Mulej Alla tiegħek, Alla għajjur, li npatti l-ħażen tal-missirijiet fuq l-ulied sat-tielet u r-raba' ġenerazzjoni lil dawk li jobogħduni; imma nagħder sa l-elf nisel lil min iħobbni u jżomm il-kmandamenti tiegħi.La ssemmiex l-isem tal-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, fix-xejn; għaliex lil min isemmi l-isem tiegħu fix-xejn, il-Mulej ma jħalliħx bla kastig. Ftakar f'jum is-Sibt u qaddsu.Sitt ijiem taħdem u tagħmel kull ma għandek tagħmel; imma s-seba' jum hu jum il-mistrieħf'ġieħ lill-Mulej, Alla tiegħek. Dak il-jum ma tagħmel ebda xogħol, int, ibnek, il-qaddej u l-qaddejja tiegħek, il-bhejjem tiegħek, u l-barrani li jkun ġewwa bwiebek. Għax f'sitt ijiem il-Mulej għamel is-smewwiet u l-art; il-baħar u kull ma hemm fihom, u strieħ fis-seba' jum. Għalhekk il-Mulej bierek is-seba' jum u qaddsu.) Weġġaħ lil-missierek u lil ommok, sabiex jitkattru jiemek fuq l-art li l-Mulej, Alla tiegħek, jagħtik. La toqtolx. La tagħmilx adulterju.La tisraqx. La tagħtix xhieda giddieba kontra għajrek. La tixtieqx dar għajrek: la tixtieqx il-mara ta' għajrek, il-qaddej jew il-qaddejja tiegħu, il-għoġol jew il-ħmar tiegħu, u xejn minn kull ma għandu għajrek." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm - PSalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple. R/

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye. R/

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just. R/

They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb. R/

Salm Responsorjali - Salm 18 (19)

R/ Mulej, int għandek il-kliem tal-ħajja ta' dejjem.

Il-liġi tal-Mulej perfetta,

tagħti l-ħajja;

ix-xhieda tal-Mulej hi sewwa,

u tgħallem lil min ma jafx. R/

Il-preċetti tal-Mulej dritti,

u iferrħu l-qalb;

il-kmandament tal-Mulej safi,

u jdawwal il-għajnejn. R/

Il-biża' tal-Mulej sinċier,

u jibqa' għal dejjem;

il-ġudizzji tal-Mulej sewwa,

u mseddqa għal kollox. R

Huma egħżeż mid-deheb,

mid-deheb l-aktar fin,

oħla mill-għasel

u mill-qtar tax-xehda. R/

Reading 2 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Brothers and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. This is the Word of The Lord

It-Tieni Qari - mill-Ewwel Ittra lill-Korintin 1, 22-25

Ħuti, il-Lhud jitolbu s-sinjali, u l-Griegi jfittxu l-għerf, imma aħna nxandru Kristu msallab, skandlu għal-Lhud u bluha għall-Griegi; iżda għal dawk li huma msejħin, sew Lhud sew Griegi,Kristu huwa l-qawwa ta' Alla u l-għerf ta' Alla. Għax il-bluha ta' Alla hija għarfa aktar mill-bnedmin,u d-dgħufija ta' Alla hi aqwa mill-bnedmin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel John 2:13-25

Since the Passover of the Jews was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well. This is the Word of The Lord

L-Evanġelju - skond San Ġwann 2, 13-25

Kien qorob l-Għid tal-Lhud, u Ġesu' tela' Ġerusalemm. Fit-Tempju sab min qiegħed ibigħ barrin, nagħaġ u ħamiem, u min kien bilqiegħda jsarraf il-flus. Għamel sawt mill-ħbula, u keċċiehom ilkoll 'il barra mit-tempju, bin-ngħaġ u l-barrin tagħhom; xerred il-flus ta' dawk li kienu jsarrfu, u qalbilhom l-imwejjed. U lill-bejjiegħa tal-ħamiem qalilhom: "Warrbu dawn minn hawn, u dar Missieri tagħmluhiex dar tan-negpzju!." Id-dixxipli ftakru f'dak li kien hemm miktub fl-Iskrittura: "Il-ħeġġa għal darek fnietni". Imbagħad il-Lhud qabdu u qalulu: "X'sinjal se turina liinti tista' tagħmel dan?" Ġesu' wieġibhom: "Ħottu dan it-Tempju, u fi tlitt ijiem nerġa' ntellgħu." Għalhekk il-Lhud qalulu: "Dan it-Tempju ħa sitta u erbgħin sena biex inbena, u int se ttellgħu fi tlitt ijiem?" Iżda hu tkellem fuq it-tempju tal-ġisem tiegħu. Meta mbagħad qam mill-imwiet, id-dixxipli ftakru f'dak li kien qal; u emmnu fl-Iskrittura u fil-kliem li kien qal Ġesu'. Waqt li kien Ġerusalem għall-festa tal-Għid, kien hemm ħafna li emmnu f'ismu billi raw is-sinjali li kien jagħmel. Imma Ġesu', min-naħa tiegħu, ma kienx jafda fihom, għax hu kien jaf lil kulħadd u ma kellux bżonn min jagħtih xhieda fuq il-bniedem, għax hu stess kien jaf x'hemm fil-bniedem. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary: by Larry Broding

The Cleansing of the Temple

Is faith in God reasonable?

What reasons do people have for faith?

How do acts of scandal detract from faith?

Each time and each culture has its reasons to believe. In the past, philosophers asserted God's existence and reasonable nature of faith. Today, psychologists propose faith as a means to mental health and personal fulfillment. We Christians want faith to fit into life, answer our questions, and give us comfort, assurance, strength . . .

But what happens when faith causes scandal? How do people react when people of faith commit unreasonable acts? On a typical day during business hours, Jesus overturned a marketplace in a very unreasonable manner. And through his rage, he revealed himself as the Messiah.

In this one act, Jesus declared himself to be the Messiah. With centuries of infighting, corruption, and palace intrigue, the Temple priests lost the respect of average believers. (In fact, many Jewish groups boycotted Temple worship.) The person in the street awaited the coming of the Messiah who would sweep these men from power and restore a worship that pleased God.

Why, then, did Jesus object to commerce in the Temple courtyard? This courtyard, the Court of the Gentiles, represented the universal message God revealed through the Jews. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the God of all people. By providing non-Jews a place of worship on the Temple grounds, Judaism asserted it was a religion for everyone.

But the Temple leadership gave merchants an area for trade that should have been off-limits. While Jesus drove out animals and overturned tables, his real message was to the leadership. Give all nations a place in the Kingdom. More important, he revealed to his followers what kind of Messiah they followed. He was not a Messiah for Jews alone. He was a Messiah that would lead everyone to God!

As mentioned above, the term house had two meanings: extended family (primary) and building (secondary). The term Temple also has multiple meanings: building (primary) and a group (secondary). (Paul referred to Christian community as the Temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Notice John began with the term "Temple" (2:14), changed to the term "house" (2:16-17), and returned to "Temple" in the latest passages (2:18-20) with a reference to "body." If we include Paul's notion of the "Body of Christ" (see 1 Corinthians 12) we'll see the term "body" had two meanings: a physical body and a body of people.

"Temple" to "the house of my Father" to "body." These were all titles for the dwelling place of God on earth. These were titles for Christ's body. These were all titles for the Christian community. The common thread throughout this changing set of terms was the Christian community in relation to its Master. Through the Risen Christ, God dwelt in the community.

John used the cleansing at the Temple to introduce a universal Messiah. The sign Jesus would give the Jewish leadership revealed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the world: Isaiah's Suffering Servant. The Messiah would bring justice to the nations through his death and his vindication (i.e., his resurrection).

John ended this passage with a comment on the strength of faith. Indeed Jesus gathered many followers based upon what they saw. But faith runs deeper. After all, the ultimate tenet of faith was a sign no one saw happen: the Resurrection. Christians could only witness to the reality of Christ after the fact. If a Christian based his faith simply upon what he saw or heard or felt, he would miss the greater point, for faith extended beyond the senses. A faith based upon visible signs looks for the next convenient sign. But faith based upon something greater will find it and more.

What reasons do you have for being a Christian? How do your reasons compare to others? When do you run out of reasons?

God gives us signs as anchors of faith. But, at some point, we must trust the Lord enough to cut ourselves from our anchors and allow him to guide us through rough currents. Like a deep and abiding love, this is trust that simply runs out of reasons. Faith will always cause scandal. Do we waver in the face of scandal? Or, do we redouble our efforts in faith? In the end, a faith that survives scandal is the toughest faith of all.

Pray for those who are scandalized by the cross.

Treat them with respect and love. And trust God for their welfare.

He will not disappoint.