Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Lectionary: 671
Lectionary: 671
The angel brought
me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
Reading 21 COR 3:9C-11, 16-17
Brothers and
sisters:
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Gospel JN 2:13-22
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.
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.
Scripture Study, Nov
9, 2014
November 9, 2014
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Every parish celebrates the anniversary of the
ceremony in which its parish church was consecrated to God and dedicated to the
worship of God. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica
of St. John Lateran in Rome. Even though people around the globe associate the
pope with the more famous Basilica of St. Peter, his cathedral church as Bishop
of Rome is the Basilica of St. John. This celebration started out as a purely
local event but eventually November 9th came to be a celebration of the unity
of the church expressed in the pope’s ministry. The church is not buildings; it
is people united by the Spirit of God. Paul tells us this in the second
reading. Both the Gospel and the first reading attempt to enlarge our vision of
the church. Today it is appropriate to reconsider what the church really is and
where God is calling each of us to fit into it. Am I listening to this call? Am
I striving to avoid hearing it?
First Reading: Ezekiel 47:1-2; 8-9; 12
1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and
I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the
east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down
from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the
outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
[3 Then when he had walked off to the east
with a measuring cord in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me
wade through the water, which was ankle-deep. 4He measured off another thousand and once more had me wade
through the water, which was now knee-deep. Again he measured off a thousand
and had me wade; the water was up to my waist. 5 Once more he measured off a thousand, but there was now a
river through which I could not wade; for the water had risen so high it had
become a river that could not be crossed except by swimming. 6 He asked me, "Have you seen this, son of man?"
Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit. 7 Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both
sides.] 8 He said to me, “This water flows into
the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt
waters, which it makes fresh. 9 Wherever the
river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and
there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be
made fresh. [10 Fishermen shall be standing along it
from En-gedi to En-eglaim, spreading their nets there. Its kinds of fish shall
be like those of the Great Sea, very numerous. 11 Only its marshes and swamps shall not be made fresh; they
shall be left for salt.] 12 Along both banks
of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not
fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they
shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for
food, and their leaves for medicine.”
NOTES on First Reading:
* Square brackets indicate verses left out of
the reading. I include them only for completeness of the text.
* 47:1-12 The marvelous stream of life giving
water that transforms the previously arid and dead land is symbolic of the
return of the ideal conditions of the paradise of Eden; Gen 2:10-14. Water is
symbolic of great blessing as dryness signifies a curse; see 26:5-14. See Joel
3:18; Zec 13:1; Rev 22:1-5; Sir 24:28-31; Note Joel 3:18 is 4:18 in NAB and
Jerusalem Bibles.
* 47:2 The east gate was closed; see Ezek 44:2,4
* 47:3-6 Chapter 47 parallels chapter 37 in
expressing the renewed life that God promises to the exiles. The continually
deepening river water recalls the power of the vision of dry bones in Chapter
37. The geography is realistic enough but this image is not intended as a
description of physical events but rather it is symbolic of fertility and life
giving power flowing from the presence of God in the Temple.
* 47:7 Trees are reminiscent of Eden (Gen
2:9).
* 47:8 The “Sea” usually means the Mediterranean
Sea but in this case the Dead Sea is obviously meant.
* 47:9 Again the language echoes that of
Genesis 1:20-21 pointing to a new creation. The Hebrew word translated as
“shall be made fresh” actually mean “will be healed.”
* 47:11 Perhaps they will be needed to provide
the salt used in the sacrifices.
* 47:12 This verse contains an expansion of
the promises of Ezek 34:27; 36:30. See also Amos 9:13.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
9 [For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field,] God’s
building. 10 According to the grace of God given to
me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building
upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, 11 for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is
there, namely, Jesus Christ. [12 If anyone builds
on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 the work of each will come to light, for the Day will
disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the
quality of each one's work. 14 If the work
stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. 15 But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer
loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.] 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone
destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God,
which you are, is holy.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* Square brackets indicate verses left out of
the reading. I include them only for completeness of the text.
* 3:10 There are many different functions in
the building up of the Kingdom. Each of those jobs is important in God�s blueprint of what the church is to look like. We are each
accountable to God for how well we did our job.
* 3:13 The Day is Judgment Day when all will
be evaluated and its worth made manifest. Using an analogy with refining
precious metals, Paul speaks of fire which both destroys the base and purifies
the valuable.
* 3:15 The Lord will find a way to save the
builder even though he will suffer loss as a result of poor workmanship. Here
Paul is speaking of those who do their work for the community in a poor or
slovenly manner. Perhaps their motives are not totally pure or their love is
not perfect but yet God will not abandon them completely.
* 3:17 Paul alludes to the sanctity of the
Church as a basic reality founded not in who we are but in Whose Church it is.
See 1:2,30; 6:11;7:14
Gospel Reading: John 2: 13-22
13 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple area those who
sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. 15 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, 16 and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of
here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” 17 His disciples recalled the words of scripture, “Zeal for
your house will consume me.” 18 At this the Jews
answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and
in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will
raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was
speaking about the temple of his body. 22Therefore, 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.
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 2:13 This is the first of three Passovers
mentioned in John�s Gospel. The others are: 6:4; 13:1. Taken
literally that makes the public ministry of Jesus at least two years long and
possibly as tradition has always maintained, three.
* 2:14 These were the animals that were to be
offered in sacrifice in the temple worship.
* 2:15 The language used by John indicates
that this version of the incident was developed as a separate tradition from
the ones given in the other gospels. See Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48. The
other gospels place this incident at the end of Jesus career while John places
it at the beginning. The reason for the move is that John uses the raising of
Lazarus as the immediate cause for the arrest of Jesus rather than the sharp
attack on the temple. The attack on the temple serves as a preparation for the
saying on “true worshipers” in 4:21.
* 2:17 This is a quote from Ps 69:10 although
the tense was changed. The word, “remembered”, is a technical word in John for
the process by which the community came to see Jesus as the fulfillment of
Scripture after the resurrection.
* They also ask for a sign in the other
gospels. The statement in Zec would indicate that the action is itself a sign.
See Zec 14:21
* 2:19 Jesus� answer to their
question would have been totally unintelligible to them. Typical of John there
is a misunderstanding which gives the writer an opportunity to explain the
meaning to the reader.
* 2:21 Here John explains the symbolic meaning
of Jesus� statement to the reader. The replacement of
the temple by the resurrected body of Jesus in which the Holy Spirit is present
is a major idea in the Gospel of John. For John, Jesus is the reality of all
the religious symbols of Israel expressed together at the same time.
* 2:22 In this verse John seems to make the
word of Jesus equal to the scriptures, the Word of God.
Meditation: "Zeal
for the Father's house"
What can keep us from
the presence of God? Jesus' dramatic cleansing of the temple was seen by his
disciples as a prophetic sign of God’s action. The temple was understood as the
dwelling place of God among his people. When God delivered his people from
slavery in Egypt, he brought them through the sea, and finally to Mount Sinai
where he made a covenant with them and gave them a new way of life embodied in
the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). God gave Moses instruction for worship
and for making the Tabernacle, or tent of meeting, which was later replaced by
the temple. The New Testament tells us that these "serve as a copy and
shadow of the heavenly sanctuary" - God’s Temple in heaven (Hebrews 8:5).
Jesus' cleansing of the temple is also a prophetic sign of what he wants to do
with each of us. He ever seeks to cleanse us of sin and make us living temples
of his Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Do you want to be holy as God is holy?
Jesus burns with
zeal for his Father's house
Jesus referred to the temple as his Father's house which was being made into a "house of trade" (John 2:16) or "den of robbers" (Mark 11:17). That is why he used physical force to expel the money-chargers. The prophecy of Malachi foretold the coming of the Lord unexpectedly to his Temple to "purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord" (Malachi 3:1-4). Jesus' disciples recalled the words of Psalm 69: "Zeal for your house will consume me." This was understood as a Messianic prophecy. Here the disciples saw more clearly Jesus as the Messiah who burned with zeal for God's house.
Jesus referred to the temple as his Father's house which was being made into a "house of trade" (John 2:16) or "den of robbers" (Mark 11:17). That is why he used physical force to expel the money-chargers. The prophecy of Malachi foretold the coming of the Lord unexpectedly to his Temple to "purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord" (Malachi 3:1-4). Jesus' disciples recalled the words of Psalm 69: "Zeal for your house will consume me." This was understood as a Messianic prophecy. Here the disciples saw more clearly Jesus as the Messiah who burned with zeal for God's house.
The Jewish
authorities, however, wanted proof that Jesus had divine authority to act as he
did. They demanded a sign from God to prove Jesus right, otherwise, they would
treat him as an imposter and a usurper of their authority. Jesus replied that
the sign God would give would be Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection
from the tomb: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it
up." The Jews did not understand that the temple Jesus referred to was his
own body. The "tent of his body" had to be destroyed to open the way
to the presence of God for us.
The Lord Jesus
makes us temples of the Holy Spirit
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus not only reconciles us with God, but he fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes us temples of the living God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God's word enlightens our minds and purifies our hearts that we may offer God fitting worship and enjoy his presence both now and forever. Do you burn with zeal for the Lord’s house?
Through his death and resurrection, Jesus not only reconciles us with God, but he fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes us temples of the living God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God's word enlightens our minds and purifies our hearts that we may offer God fitting worship and enjoy his presence both now and forever. Do you burn with zeal for the Lord’s house?
"Lord Jesus
Christ, you open wide the door of your Father’s house and you bid us to enter
confidently that we may worship in spirit and truth. Help me to draw near to
your throne of mercy with gratitude and joy."
FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN
BASILICA IN ROME
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, JOHN 2:13-22
(Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; Psalm 84; I Corinthians 3:9c-11,16-17)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, JOHN 2:13-22
(Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; Psalm 84; I Corinthians 3:9c-11,16-17)
KEY VERSE: "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (v 20).
READING: The Jerusalem temple was the center of worship and sacrifice for the Jews, and the visible sign of God's presence among them. While celebrating the Passover feast, Jesus was angered over the way the temple was used as a marketplace. He attacked the abuse of God's dwelling place by driving out the animals sold for sacrifice, and overturning the tables used by the money changers for collecting the temple tax. Jesus came to supplant the rites and institutions of the old covenant with the new covenant of God's justice and love (Jer 31:31; Lk 22:20). Solomon's temple (the first temple) was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE. Herod's temple (the second temple) was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. It was replaced by the body of the risen Christ, the Church. Paul told the Corinthians, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 3:11). He reminded Christians that they were God's temple since the Spirit of God dwelt in them (v 16).
REFLECTING: Do people recognize God's presence within me?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to have reverence for your Father's house.
FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN
BASILICA IN ROME
Whenever the ninth of November falls on a Sunday, many are surprised to learn that the regular Mass has been replaced by the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome, and therefore the Pope's cathedral. The foundation of the Lateran basilica goes back to the time of Constantine, the Emperor of Rome. The palace of the Laterani on the Coelian Hill belonged then to Constantine's wife Fausta. After Constantine's conversion he gave it to the Pope as his private residence and founded the church of the Lateran which became the mother of all the churches of Rome and the world. It was dedicated to Christ our Savior by Pope St. Sylvester on November 9, 324. In the twelfth century it was given as its second title St. John the Baptist whose name was also that of the ancient baptistery connected with the church; hence the present name of the basilica, St. John Lateran. Twelve councils have been assembled in the basilica and palace of the Lateran, four of which were ecumenical, the first in 649, the last in 1512.
Sunday 9 November 2014
Dedication of the Lateran
Basilica. W. Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12. The waters of the river gladden the city
of God—Ps 45(46):2-3, 5-6, 8-9. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17. John 2:13-22.
‘Don’t turn my
Father’s house into a market.’
Many of us have been to
places where God has felt very close. In Celtic spirituality they are known as
‘thin places’—places where the line between the physical world and the
spiritual world seems to be very thin. For some it is on a mountain top, for
some by the ocean, for others the desert …
If we think of the Temple
as a ‘thin place’, it makes sense of Jesus’ anger at what was taking place.
Holy ground invites walking gently, honouring the sacred and an overwhelming
sense of awe. All of which seemed absent in the market place of the Temple.
Someone singing in the Lateran Basilica creates a ‘thin place’: the ‘thinner’
our churches are, the more easily God may be felt and found.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Invitation of Grace
|
I can’t live this life without the help of God’s grace. Left to my
own power, I will continue to fail. My sin humbles me. When I recognize this, I
perceive an invitation for me to return to God, the eternal source of mercy. My
failure reminds me of my need for God.
November
9
Dedication of St. John Lateran
Dedication of St. John Lateran
Most Catholics think of St. Peter’s as the pope’s main church, but
they are wrong. St. John Lateran is the pope’s church, the cathedral of the
Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome presides.
The first
basilica on the site was built in the fourth century when Constantine donated
land he had received from the wealthy Lateran family. That structure and its
successors suffered fire, earthquake and the ravages of war, but the Lateran
remained the church where popes were consecrated until the popes returned from
Avignon in the 14th century to find the church and the adjoining palace in
ruins.
Pope
Innocent X commissioned the present structure in 1646. One of Rome’s most
imposing churches, the Lateran’s towering facade is crowned with 15 colossal
statues of Christ, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and 12 doctors of the
Church. Beneath its high altar rest the remains of the small wooden table on
which tradition holds St. Peter himself celebrated Mass.
Comment:
Unlike the commemorations of other Roman churches (St. Mary Major, August 5; Sts. Peter and Paul, November 18), this anniversary is a feast. The dedication of a church is a feast for all its parishioners. In a sense, St. John Lateran is the parish church of all Catholics, because it is the pope's cathedral. This church is the spiritual home of the people who are the Church.
Unlike the commemorations of other Roman churches (St. Mary Major, August 5; Sts. Peter and Paul, November 18), this anniversary is a feast. The dedication of a church is a feast for all its parishioners. In a sense, St. John Lateran is the parish church of all Catholics, because it is the pope's cathedral. This church is the spiritual home of the people who are the Church.
Quote:
"What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love" (St. Augustine, Sermon 36).
"What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love" (St. Augustine, Sermon 36).
LECTIO DIVINA:
DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN
Lectio:
Sunday, November 9, 2014
John 2,13-22 - Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - John 2,13-22
When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there.
Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.'
Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: I am eaten up with zeal for your house.
The Jews intervened and said, 'What sign can you show us that you should act like this?'
Jesus answered, 'Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'
The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days?' But he was speaking of the Temple that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what he had said.
3) Reflection
• Context. Our passage contains a clear and unmistakable teaching of Jesus in the Temple. Previously John the Baptist had given witness of Jesus saying that He was the Messiah (1, 29); the first disciples, on the indication of the Baptist, have recognized him as the Lamb of God, a quality of the Messiah: to inaugurate a new Passover and covenant, to bring about the definitive liberation of man (Jn 1, 35-51); in Cana, Jesus works a first sign to show his glory (Jn 2, 1-12): the glory becomes visible, it can be contemplated, therefore, it manifests itself. It is the glory of the Father present in the person of Jesus and which manifests itself at the beginning of his activity, in this way, anticipating his “hour” (17, 1). In what way is his glory manifested? God restores gratuitously with man a new relationship; he unites him intimately to him giving him the capacity to love like He loves, through the Spirit who purifies the heart of man and makes him son of God. But, it is necessary to recognize the immutable love of God, manifested in Jesus, responding with faith, with a personal adherence.
• Jesus and the Temple. Now Jesus is in Jerusalem, in the Temple fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi (Ml 3, 1-3), he proclaims himself Messiah. Such a presence of Jesus is above all his teaching that produces tension. Now, the reader understands how the great disputes with the Jews always take place in the Temple; in this place Jesus pronounces his substantial denunciations; his task is to lead the people outside the Temple (2, 15; 10, 4). In last instance Jesus was condemned because he represented a danger for the Temple and for the people. Jesus goes to Jerusalem on the occasion of the Passover of the Jews: it is clamorous to manifest himself in public and to reveal to all that he is the Messiah. During that feast Jerusalem is full of pilgrims who have come from all parts and therefore his actions would have had a great effect in the whole of Palestine. When he arrived in Jerusalem he immediately is seen in the Temple where there are a number of people selling cattle, sheep and doves and the money changers sitting there. The encounter in the Temple is not with persons who seek God but dealers of the sacred: the amount paid to be able to open a stand to be able to sell was given to the high priest. Jesus chooses this occasion (the Passover) this place (the Temple) to give a sign. He takes a whip, an instrument which was a symbol of the Messiah who punishes vices and evil practices, and he drives out everybody from the Temple, together with the cattle and sheep. Worthy to be noted is his act against those selling the doves (v. 15). The dove was an animal used for the propitiatory holocausts (Lv 9, 14-17), in the sacrifices of expiation and of purification (Lv 12, 8; 15, 14.29), especially if those who offered it were poor (Lv 5, 7; 14, 22. 30ff). The sellers, those who sold the doves, that is to say, sold reconciliation with God for money.
• The house of my Father. The expression wants to indicate that Jesus in his actions behaves as a Son. He represents the Father in the world. They have transformed the worship of God into a market, a place for trading. The Temple is no longer the place of encounter with God, but a market where the presence of money is in force. Worship has become the pretext to gain more. Jesus attacks the central institution of Israel, the temple: the symbol of the people and of the election. He denounces that the Temple has been deprived of its historical function: to be the sign of the dwelling of God in the midst of his people. The first reaction to Jesus’ action comes from the disciples who associate this to Psalm 69, 10: “I am eaten up with zeal for your house”. The second reaction comes from the high priests who respond in the name of those selling in the Temple: “What sign can you show us that you should act like this?” (v.18). They have asked him for a sign; he gives them that of his death: “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up” (v. 19). Jesus is the Temple that assures of the presence of God in the world, the presence of his love; the death on the cross will make of him the only and definite Temple of God. The Temple constructed by the hands of man has fallen into decay; Jesus will be the one to substitute it, because He is now the presence of God in the world; the Father is present in Him.
God of power and mercy,
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - John 2,13-22
When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there.
Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.'
Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: I am eaten up with zeal for your house.
The Jews intervened and said, 'What sign can you show us that you should act like this?'
Jesus answered, 'Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'
The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days?' But he was speaking of the Temple that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what he had said.
3) Reflection
• Context. Our passage contains a clear and unmistakable teaching of Jesus in the Temple. Previously John the Baptist had given witness of Jesus saying that He was the Messiah (1, 29); the first disciples, on the indication of the Baptist, have recognized him as the Lamb of God, a quality of the Messiah: to inaugurate a new Passover and covenant, to bring about the definitive liberation of man (Jn 1, 35-51); in Cana, Jesus works a first sign to show his glory (Jn 2, 1-12): the glory becomes visible, it can be contemplated, therefore, it manifests itself. It is the glory of the Father present in the person of Jesus and which manifests itself at the beginning of his activity, in this way, anticipating his “hour” (17, 1). In what way is his glory manifested? God restores gratuitously with man a new relationship; he unites him intimately to him giving him the capacity to love like He loves, through the Spirit who purifies the heart of man and makes him son of God. But, it is necessary to recognize the immutable love of God, manifested in Jesus, responding with faith, with a personal adherence.
• Jesus and the Temple. Now Jesus is in Jerusalem, in the Temple fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi (Ml 3, 1-3), he proclaims himself Messiah. Such a presence of Jesus is above all his teaching that produces tension. Now, the reader understands how the great disputes with the Jews always take place in the Temple; in this place Jesus pronounces his substantial denunciations; his task is to lead the people outside the Temple (2, 15; 10, 4). In last instance Jesus was condemned because he represented a danger for the Temple and for the people. Jesus goes to Jerusalem on the occasion of the Passover of the Jews: it is clamorous to manifest himself in public and to reveal to all that he is the Messiah. During that feast Jerusalem is full of pilgrims who have come from all parts and therefore his actions would have had a great effect in the whole of Palestine. When he arrived in Jerusalem he immediately is seen in the Temple where there are a number of people selling cattle, sheep and doves and the money changers sitting there. The encounter in the Temple is not with persons who seek God but dealers of the sacred: the amount paid to be able to open a stand to be able to sell was given to the high priest. Jesus chooses this occasion (the Passover) this place (the Temple) to give a sign. He takes a whip, an instrument which was a symbol of the Messiah who punishes vices and evil practices, and he drives out everybody from the Temple, together with the cattle and sheep. Worthy to be noted is his act against those selling the doves (v. 15). The dove was an animal used for the propitiatory holocausts (Lv 9, 14-17), in the sacrifices of expiation and of purification (Lv 12, 8; 15, 14.29), especially if those who offered it were poor (Lv 5, 7; 14, 22. 30ff). The sellers, those who sold the doves, that is to say, sold reconciliation with God for money.
• The house of my Father. The expression wants to indicate that Jesus in his actions behaves as a Son. He represents the Father in the world. They have transformed the worship of God into a market, a place for trading. The Temple is no longer the place of encounter with God, but a market where the presence of money is in force. Worship has become the pretext to gain more. Jesus attacks the central institution of Israel, the temple: the symbol of the people and of the election. He denounces that the Temple has been deprived of its historical function: to be the sign of the dwelling of God in the midst of his people. The first reaction to Jesus’ action comes from the disciples who associate this to Psalm 69, 10: “I am eaten up with zeal for your house”. The second reaction comes from the high priests who respond in the name of those selling in the Temple: “What sign can you show us that you should act like this?” (v.18). They have asked him for a sign; he gives them that of his death: “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up” (v. 19). Jesus is the Temple that assures of the presence of God in the world, the presence of his love; the death on the cross will make of him the only and definite Temple of God. The Temple constructed by the hands of man has fallen into decay; Jesus will be the one to substitute it, because He is now the presence of God in the world; the Father is present in Him.
4) Personal questions
• Have you understood that the sign of love of God for you is no longer the temple but a Person: Jesus crucified?
• Do you not know that this sign is turned to you personally to bring about your definitive liberation?
• Have you understood that the sign of love of God for you is no longer the temple but a Person: Jesus crucified?
• Do you not know that this sign is turned to you personally to bring about your definitive liberation?
5) Concluding Prayer
God is both refuge and strength for us,
a help always ready in trouble;
so we shall not be afraid though the earth be in turmoil,
though mountains tumble into the depths of the sea. (Ps 46,1-2)
God is both refuge and strength for us,
a help always ready in trouble;
so we shall not be afraid though the earth be in turmoil,
though mountains tumble into the depths of the sea. (Ps 46,1-2)
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