Reading 1
Ex 20:1-17 or 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17

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."

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 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.
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."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (John 6:68c) 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. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

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.

Gospel
Jn 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.

Third Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA)

March 15, 2009

Third Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA)

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

Reading 1
Ex 17:3-7

In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?"
So Moses cried out to the LORD,
"What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!"
The LORD answered Moses,
"Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink."
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
"Is the LORD in our midst or not?"

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading II
Rom 5:1-2, 5-8

Brothers and sisters:
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Gospel
Jn 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water."

Jesus said to her,
"Go call your husband and come back."
The woman answered and said to him,
"I do not have a husband."
Jesus answered her,
"You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.'
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one speaking with you."

At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, "What are you looking for?"
or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
"Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?"
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat."
But he said to them,
"I have food to eat of which you do not know."
So the disciples said to one another,
"Could someone have brought him something to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work."

Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
"He told me everything I have done."
When the Samaritans came to him,

they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.

"I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one who is speaking with you."

Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

March Devotion: Saint Joseph

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to the solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, this month is devoted to this great saint, the foster father of Christ. "It greatly behooves Christians, while honoring the Virgin Mother of God, constantly to invoke with deep piety and confidence her most chaste spouse, Saint Joseph. We have a well grounded conviction that such is the special desire of the Blessed Virgin herself." --Pope Leo XIII

FOR OUR WORK
Glorious Saint Joseph, pattern of all who are devoted to toil, obtain for me the grace to toil in the spirit of penance, in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to toil conscientiously, putting devotion to duty before my own inclinations; to labor with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop, by my labor, the gifts I have received from Almighty God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time ill-spent, of talents unemployed, of good undone, and of my empty pride in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of thee, 0 Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.

OFFERING TO SAINT JOSEPH
O great Saint Joseph, thou generous depositary and dispenser of immortal riches, behold us prostrate at thy feet, imploring thee to receive us as thy servants and as thy children. Next to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, of which thou art the faithful copy, we acknowledge that there is no heart more tender, more compassionate than thine.

What, then, have we to fear, or, rather, for what should we not hope, if thou dost deign to be our benefactor, our master, our model, our father and our mediator? Refuse not, then, this favor, O powerful protector! We ask it of thee by the love thou hast for Jesus and Mary. Into thy hands we commit our souls and bodies, but above all the last moments of our lives.

May we, after having honored, imitated, and served thee on earth, eternally sing with thee the mercies of Jesus and Mary. Amen.

FOR THE INTERCESSION OF SAINT JOSEPH
O Joseph, virgin-father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, being defended by the power of His grace and striving dutifully in life, may be crowned by Him at the hour of death.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

St. Joseph
St. Joseph was an ordinary manual laborer although descended from the royal house of David. In the designs of Providence he was destined to become the spouse of the Mother of God. His high privilege is expressed in a single phrase, "Foster-father of Jesus." About him Sacred Scripture has little more to say than that he was a just man-an expression which indicates how faithfully he fulfilled his high trust of protecting and guarding God's greatest treasures upon earth, Jesus and Mary.

The darkest hours of his life may well have been those when he first learned of Mary's pregnancy; but precisely in this time of trial Joseph showed himself great. His suffering, which likewise formed a part of the work of the redemption, was not without great providential import: Joseph was to be, for all times, the trustworthy witness of the Messiah's virgin birth. After this, he modestly retires into the background of holy Scripture.

Of St. Joseph's death the Bible tells us nothing. There are indications, however, that he died before the beginning of Christ's public life. His was the most beautiful death that one could have, in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Humbly and unknown, he passed his years at Nazareth, silent and almost forgotten he remained in the background through centuries of Church history. Only in more recent times has he been accorded greater honor. Liturgical veneration of St. Joseph began in the fifteenth century, fostered by Sts. Brigid of Sweden and Bernadine of Siena. St. Teresa, too, did much to further his cult.

At present there are two major feasts in his honor. On March 19 our veneration is directed to him personally and to his part in the work of redemption, while on May 1 we honor him as the patron of workmen throughout the world and as our guide in the difficult matter of establishing equitable norms regarding obligations and rights in the social order.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

St. Joseph is invoked as patron for many causes. He is the patron of the Universal Church. He is the patron of the dying because Jesus and Mary were at his death-bed. He is also the patron of fathers, of carpenters, and of social justice. Many religious orders and communities are placed under his patronage.

Patron: Against doubt; against hesitation; Americas; Austria; Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; California; Belgium; Bohemia; bursars; cabinetmakers; Canada; Carinthia; carpenters; China; Church; confectioners; craftsmen; Croatian people (in 1687 by decree of the Croatian parliament) dying people; emigrants; engineers; expectant mothers; families; fathers; Florence, Italy; happy death; holy death; house hunters; immigrants; interior souls; Korea; laborers; Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin; Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky; Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire; Mexico; Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee; New France; New World; Oblates of Saint Joseph; people in doubt; people who fight Communism; Peru; pioneers; pregnant women; protection of the Church; Diocese of San Jose, California; diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; social justice; Styria, Austria; travelers; Turin Italy; Tyrol Austria; unborn children Universal Church; Vatican II; Viet Nam; Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston West Virginia; wheelwrights; workers; working people.

Symbols: Bible; branch; capenter's square; carpenter's tools; chalice; cross; hand tools; infant Jesus; ladder; lamb; lily; monstrance; old man holding a lily and a carpenter's tool such as a square; old man holding the infant Jesus; plane; rod.

Things to Do:

You must have a table that is simply overflowing with good Italian food on this day! The feast of San Giuseppe began in the Middle Ages when Sicily was suffering from a severe drought and the desperate people begged St. Joseph for rain. When they received rainy weather in response, they held a huge "feste" in Saint Joseph's honor. Even today, Sicilians go to Mass before their St. Joseph's day dinner and then process to their festive tables, decked out in flowers, breads, and all sorts of Italian foods. The priest blesses the food, and everyone shouts "Viva la tavola di San Giuse!" (which your children will readily do with great gusto). After the meal is done, everyone present is given something to take home, in the generous spirit of this day. Try some of our delicious recipes linked here. We especially recommend the traditional Minestrone. Italian sausage is always a favorite, as well. And you should have bread of all kinds — this recipe for Italian Decorative Breads can provide the traditional shape of your choice (St. Joseph's staff, his beard, etc). Also a traditional must with children is St. Joseph's Sfinge, (Cream Puffs), for which we have several recipes on this site. Plan a St. Joseph's potluck for this day with other Catholic families — invite a parish priest and ask his blessing over the food before you begin the meal. If you do not have the time or resources to do this, plan a smaller affair with your own family, complete with prayers to St. Joseph, a little procession with candles for the older children and your favorite hymns, and then the father of the family ought to say a special blessing over the food before you begin.

Check out this wonderful site that explains the St. Joseph Altar more in detail, includes recipes, history, and allows virtual offerings.

For further reading:

Viva San Giuseppe: A guide for Saint Joseph Altars. This wonderful booklet is available

The St. Joseph Altar Traditions of South Louisiana (Louisiana Life Series; No. 4) by Ethelyn Gay Orso, small booklet with photographs, available for purchase at online bookstores.
Brand new beautifully illustrated hardcover book, Saint Joseph Altars by Kerri McCaffety (Photographer), also available at bookstores.
Read the section of Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy on St. Joseph.
Read Pope Leo XIII's encyclical on Devotion to St. Joseph.
Interested in history? Read this article on the history of devotions to St. Joseph, Finding St. Joseph, by Sandra Miesel.
Pray this prayer and litany in honor of St. Joseph with your family rosary tonight.
Here is a link to several meditations on St. Joseph — choose the one that is perfect for you and your family!
Here are some ideas for teaching children about St. Joseph.
Young girls ought to pray to St. Joseph for their future spouse.

Prayer to St. Joseph

Pope Pius X composed this prayer to St. Joseph, patron of working people, that expresses concisely the Christian attitude toward labor. It summarizes also for us the lessons of the Holy Family's work at Nazareth.

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who devote their lives to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, setting devotion to duty in preference to my own whims; to work with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time ill spent, of talents wasted, of good omitted, and of vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of you, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death, Amen.

Another prayer to St. Joseph:
To thee, O blessed Joseph, do we fly in our tribulation, and, having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy holy patronage also. Through that charity which bound thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and through the paternal love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we humbly beseech the graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His Blood, and with thy power and strength aid us in our necessities.

O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving Father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be propitious to us, and from Heaven assist us in this our struggle against the power of darkness; and as once thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from death, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of Her enemies and from all adversity.

Shield too, each one of us by thy constant protection, so that, supported by thine example and strengthened by thine aid, we may be able to live a holy life, to die a holy death, and to obtain eternal happiness in Heaven. Amen.

St. Joseph, Patron of a Peaceful Death [Catholic Caucus]
Octave: St. Joseph, A 'Man’s Man', Calling Men to Jesus

St. Teresa de Avila's Devotion to St. Joseph (Catholic Caucus)
Octave: St. Joseph, A 'Man’s Man', Calling Men to Jesus
Catholic Men's National Day of Prayer, MARCH 15, 2008, The Solemnity of St. Joseph (Catholic Caucus)
The Role and Responsibility of Fatherhood - St. Joseph as Model
St. Joseph - Foster Father of Jesus

Nothing Will Be Denied Him (St. Joseph)
The Heart of a Father [St. Joseph]
Quemadmodum Deus - Decree Under Blessed Pius IX, Making St. Joseph Patron of the Church
Father & Child (An Evangelical Minister preaches on St. Joseph)
March 19 - Feast of St. Joseph - Husband of Mary - Intercessor of civil leaders

St. Joseph's Spirit of Silence
St. Joseph's Humility (By St. Francis de Sales)
St. Joseph [Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary], Solemnity, March 19
The Heart of St. Joseph
MORE THAN PATRON OF HOMES, IT'S TIME FOR ST. JOSEPH TO GAIN HIGHEST OF RECOGNITION [Fatherhood]

The Importance of Devotion to St. Joseph
St. Francis de Sales on St. Joseph (Some Excerpts for St. Joseph's Day 2004)
St. Joseph: REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS (Guardian Of The Redeemer)
(Saint) Joseph the Patriarch: A Reflection on the Solemnity of St. Joseph
How I Rediscovered a "Neglected" Saint: Work of Art Inspires Young Man to Rediscover St. Joseph

From: Exodus 20:1-17

The Ten Commandments

[1] And God spoke all these words, saying, [2] “I am the LORD your God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

[3] “You shall have no other gods before me.

[4] “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything
that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water un-
der the earth; [5] you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for the LORD
your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing
steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

[7] “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the LORD will
not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

[8] “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor, and
do all your work; [10] but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in
it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant,
or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; [11]
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,
and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and
hallowed it.

[12] “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in
the land which the LORD your God gives you.

[13] “You shall not kill.

[14] “You shall not commit adultery.

[15] “You shall not steal.

[16] “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

[17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neigh-
bor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything
that is your neighbor’s.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

20:1-21. “Decalogue” comes from the Greek, meaning “ten words” (cf. the literal
sense of Deut 4: l3). It consists of the Ten Commandments or moral code, recor-
ded here. and in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Decalogue is dealt with in a very spe-
cial way here: for one thing, it is embedded in the account of the theophany,
slotted in between 19:19 and 20:18; for another, attached to the concise com-
mandments (identical in Exodus and Deuteronomy) are other more elaborate
commandments (giving reasons and explanations) which differ as between the
two versions. The fact that the Decalogue (and not any other legal code of the
Pentateuch) is repeated practically verbatim in Exodus and Deuteronomy and
has from ancient times been reproduced separately, as the Nash papyrus (2nd
century BC) shows, indicates the importance the Decalogue always had among
the people of Israel as a moral code.

On the supposition that the versions in Exodus and Deuteronomy can be reduced
to a single original text, the variations between them can be explained in terms of
the applications of the commandments to the circumstances of the period when
each version was made; the final redaction, which we have here, is the one held
to be inspired. The apodictic form (future imperative, second person: “You shall
not kill”) is that proper to biblical commandments and it differs from the casuisti-
cal type of wording that Israel shares with other Semitic people, as can be seen
from the Code of the Covenant (chaps 21-23).

The ten commandments are the core of Old Testament ethics and they retain
their value in the New Testament. Jesus often reminds people about them (cf Lk
18:20) and he fills them out (cf. Mt 5:17ff). The Fathers and Doctors of the Church
have commented on them at length because, as St Thomas points out, all the
precepts of the natural law are contained in the Decalogue: the universal precepts,
such as “Do good and avoid evil”, “which are primary and general, are contained
theirin as principles in their proximate conclusions, while conversely, those which
are mediated by the wise are contained in them as conclusions in their principles”
(”Summa Theologiae”, 1-2, 100, 3).

The commandments tend to be divided up in two different ways: thus, Jews and
many Christian confessions divide the first commandment into two—the precept
to adore only one God (vv. 2-3) and that of not making images (vv. 3-6); whereas
Catholics and Lutherans (following St Augustine) make these commandments
one and divide into two the last commandments (not to covet one’s neighbor’s
wife: the ninth; and not to covet his goods: the tenth).

There is nothing sacrosanct about these divisions (their purpose is pedagogical);
whichever way the commandments are divided, the Decalogue stands. In our
commentary we follow St Augustine’s division and make reference to the teaching
of the Church, because the Ten Commandments contain the core of Christian
morality (cf. the notes on Deut 5:1-22).

20:2. Hittite peoples (some of whose political and social documents have survived)
used to begin peace treaties with an historical introduction, that is, by recounting
the victory of a king over a vassal on whom specific obligations were being im-
posed. In a similar sort of way, the Decalogue begins by recalling the Exodus.
However, what we have here is something radically different from a Hittite pact,
because the obligation that the commandments imply is not based on a defeat
but on a deliverance. God is offering the commandments to the people whom he
has delivered from bondage, whereas human princes imposed their codes on peo-
ples whom they had reduced to vassalage. The commandments are therefore an
expression of the Covenant. Acceptance of them is a sign that man has attained
maturity in his freedom. “Man becomes free when he enters into the Covenant of
God? (Aphraates, “Demonstrationes”, 12). Jesus stressed the same idea: “My
yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:30).

20:3-6 “You shall love God above all things” is the wording of the first command-
ment given in most catechisms (cf. “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2083)
summarizing the teaching of Jesus (cf. Mk 12:28-31, which quotes the text of
Deuteronomy 6:4-5. In the ten commandments this precept covers two aspects
—rnonotheism (v. 3) and the obligation not to adore idols or images of the Lord (vv.
4-6). Belief in the existence of only one God is the backbone of the entire Bible
message. The prophets will openly teach monotheism, holding that God is the
sovereign Lord of the universe and of time; but this ban on other gods itself im-
plies the sure conviction that there is only one true God. “You shall have no other
gods before [or, besides] me”, implies a belief in one God, that is monotheism.

The ban on images was something that marked Israel as different from other peo-
ples. The ban not only covered idols or images of other gods, but also represen-
tations of the Lord.

The one true God is spiritual and transcendent: he cannot be controlled or mani-
pulated (unlike the gods of Israel’s neighbors). On the basis of the mystery of the
incarnate Word Christians began to depict scenes from the Gospel and in so doing
they knew that this was not at odds with God’s freedom nor did it make for idolatry.
The Church venerates images because they are representations either of Jesus
who, being truly man had a body, or of saints, who as human beings were por-
trayable and worthy of veneration. The Second Vatican Council recommended the
veneration of sacred images, while calling for sobriety and beauty: “The practice
of placing sacred images in churches so that they be venerated by the faithful is
to be maintained. Nevertheless their number should be moderate and their relative
positions should reflect right order. For otherwise the Christian people may find
them incongruous and they may foster devotion of doubtful orthodoxy” (”Sacro-
sancturn Concilium”, 125).

20:5-6. “A jealous God”: an anthropomorphism emphasizing the uniqueness of
God. Since he is the only true God, he cannot abide either the worship of other
gods (cf. 34:14) or worship of idols. Idolatry is the gravest and most condemned
sin in the Bible (cf. “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2113). Those in charge
of worship in the temple are described as being “jealous” for the Lord (cf. Num
25:13; 1 Kings 19:10, 14), because they have to watch to ensure that no devia-
tions occur. When expelling the money-changers from the temple (Jn 2:17),
Jesus refers to this aspect of priests’ responsibility; “Zeal for thy house has
consumed me” (Ps 69:9).

On the Lord’s merciful retribution, cf. the note on Ex 34:6-7.

20:7. Respect for God’s name is respect for God himself. Hence this prohibition
on invoking the name of the Lord to gain credence for evil, be it at a trial (by com-
mitting perjury), or by swearing to do something evil, or by blasphemy (cf. Sir 23:
7-12). In ancient times, Israel’s neighbors used the names of their gods in magi-
cal conjuration; in such a situation the invoking of the Lord’s name is idolatrous.
In general, this commandment forbids any abuse, any disrespect, any irreverent
use of the name of God. And, to put it positively, “The second commandment
‘prescribes respect for the Lord’s name’. Like the first commandment, it belongs
to the virtue of religion and more particularly it governs our use of speech in sa-
cred matters” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2142).

20:8-11 Israel’s history evidently influenced the formulation of the sabbath precept,
given that the usual apodictic mode is not used and that the prescriptions concer-
ning this day are very well developed.

The commandment includes three ideas: the sabbath is a holy day, dedicated to
the Lord; work is forbidden on it; one reason for it is to imitate God, who rested
from creation on the seventh day.

The sabbath is a holy day, that is, different from ordinary days (cf. Lev 23:3) be-
cause it is dedicated to God. No special rites are prescribed but the word “rem-
ember” (different from “observe” in Deuteronomy 5:10) is a word with cultic asso-
ciations. Whatever the etymology or social origin of the sabbath was, in the Bible
it is always something holy (cf. 16:22-30).

Sabbath rest implies that there is an obligation to work on the previous six days
(v. 9). Work is the only justification for rest. The Hebrew word “sabat” actually
means “sabbath” and “rest”. But on this day rest acquires a cultic value, for no
special sacrifices or rites are prescribed for the sabbath: the whole community,
and even animals, render homage to God by ceasing from their labors.

20:12 The fourth is the first commandment to do with interpersonal relationships
(the subject of the second “table” as ancient Christian writers used to term these
commandments: cf. “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2197). Like the sabbath
precept, it is couched in a positive way, its direct reference is to family members.
The fact that it comes immediately after the precepts that refer to God shows its
importance. Parents, in effect, represent God within the family circle.

The commandment has to do not only with young children (cf. Prov 19:26; 20:20;
23:22;; 30:17), who have a duty to remain subject to their parents (Deut 21:18-21),
but to all children whatever their age, because it is offenses committed by older
children that incur a curse (cf. Deut 17:16).

The promise of a long life to those who keep this commandment shows how im-
portant it is for the individual, and also the importance the family has for society.
The Second Vatican Council summed up the value of the family by calling it the
“domestic church” (”Lumen Gentium”, 11; cf. John Paul II, “Familiaris Consortio”,
21).

20:13. The fifth commandment directly forbids vengeful killing of one’s enemy,
that is, murder; so it protects the sacredness of human life. The prohibition on
murder already comes across in the account of the death of Abel (cf. Gen 4:10)
and the precepts given to Noah (cf. Gen 9:6): life is something that belongs to
God alone.

Revelation and the teaching of the Church tell us more about the scope of this
precept: it is only in very specific circumstances (such as social or personal self-
defense) that a person may be deprived of his or her life. Obviously, the killing of
weaker members of society (abortion, direct euthanasia) is a particularly grave
sin.

The encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” spells out the Church s teaching on this com-
mandment which “has absolute value when it refers to the ‘innocent person’. [...]
Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Succes-
sors, and in communion with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, ‘I confirm that
the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely im-
moral’” (John Paul II, “Evangelium Vitae”, 57).

Our Lord taught that the positive meaning of this commandment was the obliga-
tion to practise charity (cf. Mt 5:21-26): “In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord
recalls the commandment, ‘You shall not kill’ (Mt 5:21), and adds to it the pro-
scription of anger, hatred and vengeance. Going further, Christ asks his disciples
to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies (cf. Mt 5:22-28). He did not defend
himself and told Peter to leave his sword in its sheath (cf. Mt 26:52)?” (”Cate-
chism of the Catholic Church”, 2262).

20:14. The sixth commandment is orientated to safeguarding the holiness of mar-
riage. In the Old Testament there were very severe penalties for those who com-
mitted adultery (cf. Deut 22:23ff; Lev 20:10). As Revelation progresses, it will be-
come clear that not only is adultery grave, because it damages the rights of the
other spouse, but every sexual disorder degrades the dignity of the person and is
an offense against God (ef., e.g., Prov 7:8-27; 23:27-28). Jesus Christ, by his life
and teaching, showed the positive thrust of this precept (cf. Mt 5:27-32): “Jesus
came to restore creation to the purity of its origins. In the Sermon on the Mount,
he interprets God’s plan strictly: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not
commit adultery.” But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in his heart’ (Mt 5:27-28). What God has
joined together, let not man put asunder (cf. Mt 19:6). The tradition of the Church
has understood the sixth commandment as encompassing the whole of human
sexuality?” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2336).

20:15. Because the Decalogue is regulating inter-personal relationships, this
commandment condemns firstly the abducting of persons in order to sell them
into slavery (cf. Deut 24:7) but obviously it covers unjust appropriation of another’s
goods. The Church continues to remind us that every violation of the right to pro-
perty is unjust (cf. “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, 2409); but this is particu-
larly true if actions of that type lead to the enslavement of human beings, or to
depriving them of their dignity, as happens in traffic in children, trade in human
embryos, the taking of hostages, arbitrary arrest or imprisonment, racial segre-
gation, concentration camps, etc. “The seventh commandment forbids acts or
enterprises that for any reason—selfish or ideological, commercial or totalitarian
-lead to the “enslavement of human beings”, to their being bought, sold and ex-
changed like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity. It is a sin
against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by vio-
lence to their productive value or to a source of profit. St Paul directed a Christian
master to treat his Christian slave ‘no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as
a beloved brother...both in the flesh and in the Lord’ (Philem 16)” (”Catechism of
the Catholic Church”, 24 14).

20:16. Giving false testimony in court can cause one’s neighbor irreparable da-
mage because an innocent person may be found guilty. But, given that truth and
fidelity in human relationships is the basis of social life (cf. Vatican II, “Gaudium
Et Spes”, 26), this commandment prohibits lying, defamation (cf. Sir 7:12-13),
calumny and the saying of anything that might detract from a neighbor’s dignity
(cf. Jas 3:1-12). “This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy peo-
ple to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses
against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral
uprightness: they are fundamental infidehties to God and, in this sense, they
undermine the foundations of the covenant” (”Catechism of the Catholic Church”,
2464).

20:17. The wording of this precept is different from that in Deuteronomy: there the
distinction is made between coveting one’s neighbor’s wife and coveting his goods
(cf. Deut 5:21). “St John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupi-
scence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (cf. 1 Jn 2:16). In the
Catholic catechetical tradition, the ninth commandment forbids carnal concupi-
scence; the tenth forbids coveting another’s goods” (”Catechism of the Catholic
Church”, 2514).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

The Wisdom of the Cross

[22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach
Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to
those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the
wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the
weakness of God is stronger than men.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

20-25. After stressing the importance of the message of the Cross, St Paul now
contrasts the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world.

By “wisdom of the world” he means the attitude of man when he is not pursuing
his proper goal: this term “world”, which has various meanings in Sacred Scripture
(cf. note on Jn 17:14-16), in St Paul has the pejorative meaning of “all sinful men”,
people estranged from God (cf. 1 Cor 1:27; 2:12; 3:19; 5:10; 11:32). This human
wisdom cannot attain knowledge of God (cf. Rom 1:19-25), either because it de-
mands external signs or because it accepts only rational arguments.

For the Jews only signs will do—miracles which prove God’s presence (cf. Mt
12:38ff; Lk 11:29); they want to base their faith on things the senses can perceive.
For people with this attitude, the cross of Christ is a scandal, that is, a stumbling
block, which makes it impossible for them to gain access to divine things, because
they have in some way imposed limits as to how God may reveal himself and how
he may not.

The Greeks—St Paul is referring to the Rationalists of his time—think that they are
the arbiters of truth, and that anything which cannot be proved by logical argument
is nonsense. “For the world, that is, for the prudent of the world, their wisdom
turned into blindness; it could not lead them to see God [...]. Therefore, since the
world had become puffed up by the vanity of its dogmas, the Lord set in place the
faith whereby believers would be saved by what seemed unworthy and foolish, so
that, all human conjecture being of no avail, only the grace of God might reveal
what the human mind cannot take in” (St Leo the Great, “Fifth Nativity Sermon”).

Christians, whom God has called out from among the Jews and the Gentiles, do
attain the wisdom of God, which consists in faith, “a supernatural virtue. By that
faith, with the inspiration and help of God’s grace, we believe that what he has
revealed is true—not because its intrinsic truth is seen by the natural light of rea-
son, but because of the authority of God who reveals it, who can neither deceive
nor be deceived” (Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, chap. 3). The same council goes on to
teach that faith is in conformity with reason (cf. Rom 12:1) and that, in addition
to God’s help, external signs—miracles and prophecies—and rational argument
do act as supports of faith.

21. “In the wisdom of God ...”: this has been interpreted in two ways, which com-
plement one another. Roughly, the first interpretation is this: according to God’s
most wise designs, since the world could not attain knowledge of God by its own
efforts, through philosophy, through those elaborate systems of thought the
Greeks were so proud of, God decided to save believers through the preaching of
the Cross, which to human eyes seemed foolishness, a stumbling block (v. 22).

The second interpretation, favored by many Fathers and by St Thomas Aquinas,
contrasts divine wisdom—as manifested in creation and in the Old Testament—
with human wisdom. It runs on these lines: since the world, because of its distor-
ted view of things, failed to attain knowledge of God, despite the way he manifes-
ted himself in creation (cf. Rom 1:19-20) and Sacred Scripture, God has decided
to save man in a remarkable, paradoxical way which better reflects divine wisdom
—the preaching of the Cross.

In both interpretations it is clear that the Apostle is trying to squeeze into one
expression a number of truths—that God’s salvific plans are eternal; that human
wisdom, which is capable, on its own, of discovering God through his works, has
become darkened; that the Cross is the climax of the all-wise plans of God; that
man cannot be truly wise unless he accepts “the wisdom of the cross”, no matter
how paradoxical it may seem.

25. In his plan of salvation God our Lord wants to use things which to man’s mind
seem foolish and weak, so that his wisdom and power will shine out all the more.
“All that Jesus Christ did for us has been meritorious for us; it has all been neces-
sary and advantageous to our salvation; his very weakness has been for us no
less useful than his majesty. For, if by the power of his divinity he has released
us from the captivity of sin, he has also, through the weakness of his flesh, des-
troyed death’s rights. As the Apostle so beautifully said, ‘the weakness of God is
stronger than men’; indeed, by this folly he has been pleased to save the world
by combating the wisdom of the world and confounding the wise; for, possessing
the nature of God and being equal to God, he abased himself, taking the form of
a servant; being rich, he became poor for love of us: being great, he became little;
being exalted, humble; he became weak, who was powerful; he suffered hunger
and thirst, he wore himself out on the roads and suffered of his own free will and
not by necessity. This type of folly, I repeat: has it not meant for us a way of wis-
dom, a model of justice and an example of holiness, as the same Apostle says:
‘The foolishness of God is wiser than men’? So true is this, that death has freed
us from death, life has freed us from error, and grace from sin” (St Bernard, “De
Laudibus Novae Militiae”, XI, 27).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: John 2:13-25

The Cleansing of the Temple

[13] The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
[14] In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons,
and the money-changers at their business. [15] And making a whip of cords, he
drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out
the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. [16] And he told
those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my
Father’s house a house of trade.” [17] His disciples remembered that it was writ-
ten, “Zeal for thy house will consume me.” [18] The Jews then said to him, “What
signs have you to show us for doing this?” [19] Jesus answered them, “Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [20] The Jews then said, “It has
taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”
21] But he spoke of the temple of his body. [22] When therefore he was raised
from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed
the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

[23] Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his
name when they saw the signs which he did; [24] but Jesus did not trust himself
to them, [25] because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of mail;
for he himself knew what was in man.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

13. “The Passover of the Jews”: this is the most important religious feast for the
people of the Old Testament, the prefiguring of the Christian Easter (cf. note on
Mt 26:2). The Jewish Passover was celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month
of Nisan and was followed by the festival week of the Azymes (unleavened bread).
According to the Law of Moses, on those days every male Israelite had to “appear
before the Lord God” (Ex 34:23; Deut 16:16)—hence the pious custom of making
a pilgrimage to the temple of Jerusalem for these days, hence the crowd and all
the vendors to supply the needs of the pilgrims; this trading gave rise to abuses.

“Jesus went up to Jerusalem”: by doing this Jesus publicly shows that he ob-
serves the Law of God. But, as we shall soon see, he goes to the temple as the
only-begotten Son who must ensure that all due decorum is observed in the
House of the Father: “And from thenceforth Jesus, the Anointed of God, always
begins by reforming abuses and purifying from sin; both when he visits his
Church, and when he visits the Christian soul” (Origen, “Hom. on St John”, 1).

14-15. Every Israelite had to offer as a passover sacrifice an ox or a sheep, if he
was wealthy; or two turtle-doves or two pigeons if he was not (Lev 5:7). In addi-
tion he had to pay a half shekel every year, if he was twenty or over. The half
shekel, which was the equivalent of a day’s pay of a worker, was a special coin
also called temple money (cf. Ex 30:13); other coins in circulation (denarii, drach-
mas, etc.) were considered impure because they bore the image of pagan rulers.
During the Passover, because of the extra crowd, the outer courtyard of the tem-
ple, the court of the Gentiles, was full of traders, money changers etc., and
inevitably this meant noise, shouting, bellowing, manure etc. Prophets had al-
ready fulminated against these abuses, which grew up with the tacit permission
of the temple authorities, who made money by permitting trading. Cf. notes on
Mt 21:12-13 and Mk 11:15-18.

16-17. “Zeal for thy house will consume me”—a quotation from Psalm 69:10.
Jesus has just made a most significant assertion: “You shall not make my
Father’s house a house of trade.” By calling God his Father and acting so ener-
getically, he is proclaiming he is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus’ zeal for
his Father’s glory did not escape the attention of his disciples who realized that
what he did fulfilled the words of Psalm 69.

18-22. The temple of Jerusalem, which had replaced the previous sanctuary
which the Israelites carried around in the wilderness, was the place selected by
God during the Old Covenant to express his presence to the people in a special
way. But this was only an imperect anticipation or prefiguring of the full expres-
sion of his presence among men—the Word of God became man. Jesus, in whom
“the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9), is the full presence of God
here on earth and, therefore, the true temple of God. Jesus identifies the temple
of Jerusalem with his own body, and by so doing refers to one of the most pro-
found truths about himself—the Incarnation. After the ascension of the Lord into
heaven this real and very special presence of God among men is continued in
the sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist.

Christ’s words and actions as he expels the traders from the temple clearly show
that he is the Messiah foretold by the prophets. That is why some Jews approach
him and ask him to give a sign of his power (cf. Mt 16:1; Mk 8:11; Lk 11:29).
Jesus’ reply (v. 20), whose meaning remains obscure until his resurrection, the
Jewish authorities try to turn into an attack on the temple—which merits the death
penalty (Mt 26:61; Mk 14:58; cf. Jer 26:4ff); later they will taunt him with it when
he is suffering on the cross (Mt 27:40; A 15:29) and later still in their case against
St Stephen before the Sanhedrin they will claim to have heard him repeat it (Acts
6:14).

There was nothing derogatory in what Jesus said, contrary to what false witnes-
ses made out. The miracle he offers them, which he calls “the Sign of Jonah” (cf.
Mt 16:4), will be his own resurrection on the third day. Jesus is using a metaphor,
as if to say: Do you see this temple? Well, imagine if it were destroyed, would it
not be a great miracle to rebuild it in three days? That is what I will do for you as
a sign. For you will destroy my body, which is the true temple, and I will rise
again on the third day.

No one understood what he was saying. Jews and disciples alike thought he was
speaking about rebuilding the temple which Herod the Great had begun to con-
struct in 19-20 B.C. Later on the disciples grasped what he really meant.

23-25. Jesus’ miracles moved many to recognize that he had extraordinary, di-
vine powers. But that falls short of perfect theological faith. Jesus knew their faith
was limited, and that they were not very deeply attached to him: they were inte-
rested in him as a miracle-worker. This explains why he did not trust them (cf.
Jn 6:15, 26) “Many people today are like that. They carry the name of faithful,
but they are ickle and inconstant”, comments Chrysostom (”Hom. on St John”,
23, 1).

Jesus’ knowledge of men’s hearts is another sign of his divinity; for example, Na-
thanael and the Samaritan woman recognized him as the Messiah because they
were convinced by the evidence of supernatural power he showed by reading their
hearts (cf. Jn 1:49; 4:29).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

A Burning Love for the Father’s House

Biblical Reflection for 3rd Sunday of Lent 2009

By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

TORONTO, MARCH 11, 2009 (Zenit.org).- In the Scripture readings for the Third Sunday of Lent (Year B), I would like to focus our reflection on two powerful images present in the texts: that of Jesus purifying Jerusalem's Temple, and St. Paul's message of the cross of Jesus Christ. Both the purifying action of Jesus and Paul's understanding of the cross can be of tremendous help to us as we grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ this Lenten season.

John's account of Jesus' cleansing of the temple is in sharp contrast to the other Gospel accounts of this dramatic story. In the Synoptic Gospels, this scene takes place at the end of the "Palm Sunday Procession" into the holy city. With the people shouting out in triumph, Jesus entered into the temple area, not to do homage but to challenge the temple and its leaders. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and upset the stalls of those selling birds and animals for the sacrifice. What a teaching moment this was! Jesus quoted from the Scriptures: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations ... but you have made it a den of robbers" (Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:6-7, Jeremiah 7:11).

In the Fourth Gospel, the cleansing of the temple takes place at the beginning of Jesus' ministry and not at the beginning of the events of the last days of Jesus' life. The startling words and actions of Jesus in the temple, whether they are from the Synoptic accounts or John's account, took on new meaning for later generations of Christians. "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" The temple was not a commercial center or shopping mall but rather a holy place of the Father. Like the prophets before him, Jesus tried to awaken the hearts of his people.

Jesus' disciples recall him saying in the temple the words of Psalm 68:10: "Zeal for your house will consume me." I have often understood this verse to mean: "I am filled with a burning love for your house." When the magnificent Temple of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Romans, and both Jews and Christians grieved at its loss, the followers of Jesus recalled this incident in the temple. Now they could see new meaning in it; it was a sign that the old temple was finished but a new temple was to be built. This new temple would not be of stone and wood and gold. It would be a living temple of holy people (I Peter 2:4-6; Ephesians 2:19-22).

Extreme Jesus

One intriguing aspect of today's Gospel story is the portrait of an angry Jesus in the temple-cleansing scene that gives way to two extremes in our own image of the Lord. Some people wish to transform an otherwise passive Christ into a whip-cracking revolutionary.

Others would like to excise any human qualities of Jesus and paint a very meek, bland character, who smiled, kept silent and never rocked the boat. The errors of the old extreme, however, do not justify a new extremism.

Jesus was not exclusively, not even primarily, concerned with social reform. Rather, he was filled with a deep devotion and burning love for his Father and the things of his Father. He wanted to form new people, created in God's image, who are sustained by his love, and bring that love to others. Jesus' disciples and apostles recognized him as a passionate figure -- one who was committed to life and to losing it for the sake of truth and fidelity.

Have we given in to these extremes in our own understanding of and relationship with Jesus? Are we passionate about anything in our lives today? Are we filled with a deep and burning love for the things of God and for his Son, Jesus?

Message of the cross

In writing to the people of Corinth, Paul was addressing numerous disorders and scandals that were present. True communion and unity were threatened by groups and internal divisions that seriously compromised the unity of the Body of Christ. Rather than appealing to complex theological or philosophical words of wisdom to resolve the difficulties, Paul announces Christ to this community: Christ crucified. Paul's strength is not found in persuasive language, but rather, paradoxically, in the weakness of one who trusts only in the "power of God" (I Corinthians 2:1-4).

In St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (1:18, 22-25), we hear about "the message of the cross that is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." For St. Paul, the cross represents the center of his theology: To say cross means to say salvation as grace given to every creature.

Paul's simple message of the cross is scandal and foolishness. He states this strongly with the words: "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."

The "scandal" and the "foolishness" of the cross are precisely in the fact that where there seems to be only failure, sorrow and defeat, precisely there, is all the power of the boundless love of God. The cross is the expression of love and love is the true power that is revealed precisely in this seeming weakness.

St. Paul has experienced this even in his own flesh, and he gives us testimony of this in various passages of his spiritual journey, which have become important points of departure for every disciple of Jesus: "He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:9); and even "God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something" (1 Corinthians 1:28).

The Apostle to the Gentiles identifies himself to such a degree with Christ that he also, even in the midst of so many trials, lives in the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself up for his sins and those of everyone (cf. Galatians 1:4; 2:20).

Today, as we contemplate Jesus' burning love for the things of his Father, and the saving mystery of his cross, let us pray these words:

O God, whose foolishness is wise and whose weakness is strong,
by the working of your grace in the disciplines of Lent
cleanse the temple of your Church and purify the sanctuary of our hearts.

May we be filled with a burning love for your house,
and may obedience to your commandments
absorb and surround us along this Lenten journey.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, the man of the cross,
your power and your wisdom,
the Lord who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.

Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada

Too Crowded

March 14th, 2009 by Fr. Paul Scalia

“He who serves the public serves a fickle master.” Thus does an old proverb teach us, and not without reason.

As we all learn eventually, the crowd is fickle. Its hero one moment becomes its villain the next. And vice versa. The crowd first applauds Brutus, and moments later follows Mark Antony just as enthusiastically. In fact, our word “mob” comes from the Latin phrase “mobile vulgus” — meaning, “the moveable or easily swayed people.”

Our Lord knew the mercurial nature of the crowd. St. John tells us that when Jesus “was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in His name when they saw the signs He was doing” (Jn 2:23). Nevertheless, “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” (Jn 2:24-5).

He would not trust Himself to them because He knew that no matter how well intentioned its response, the crowd remained superficial and erratic. He understood perfectly the weakness of fallen human nature, that despite our best intentions we remain prone to inconstancy and betrayal.

Perhaps some in the crowd did in fact have a genuine and lasting faith in Him. But, given the nature of a crowd, the vast majority probably came to Him for less noble, less enduring reasons.

Perhaps they simply liked the entertainment value of His miracles or of His sparring with the religious authorities. Maybe they saw Him as a political reformer who would throw off the Roman yoke. And, as with any crowd, some were probably just curious, tagging along because they had some free time. He does not trust Himself to them because they neither understood Him nor believed in Him for the right reasons.

Eventually Our Lord does entrust Himself to the crowd. And at His trials — first before the Sanhedrin and then before Pilate — the crowd shows its inconstancy. It turns on Him, showing Him contempt and clamoring for His death. The reaction of the crowd at that time vindicates the wisdom of His prior distrust. The same people who greeted Him with “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday cried out “Crucify Him!” on Good Friday.

Our Lord’s distrust of the crowd serves as a warning because we often display the mob’s same inconstancy. We run to the Lord when we need something, but forget Him as soon as the need disappears. When the economy is in the tank or our marriage is on the rocks or our children are in trouble, then we run swiftly to Him. But we just as swiftly forget Him when things are back in order.

The crowd applauded Our Lord as He worked miracles but disdained Him upon the Cross. We likewise want Mass and homilies to entertain, but lose patience with the discipline and sacrifice the Church asks of us.

At that Passover centuries ago, Our Lord did not entrust Himself to the people. But now He does entrust Himself to us. In baptism, He entrusted His life to us by placing His grace in our souls. In holy Communion, He entrusts to us His very body, blood, soul and divinity.

May our response be more faithful and constant than that of the crowds in Jerusalem. May the Lord Himself make us constant in our devotion.

Fr. Scalia is parochial vicar of St. Rita parish in Alexandria, VA.

(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

The Work of God

Year B

- Third Sunday of Lent

Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up

John 2:13-25

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
16 He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"
19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
20 The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"
21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body.
22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23 When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.
24 But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
25 and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Third Sunday of Lent - Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up

Stop making my Father's house a marketplace. As it was said in the Psalm long before I came to do my ministry, "Zeal for your house will consume me", Psalm 69:9, so the time came for me to publicly complain about the lack of reverence to God.

It is indeed most important to respect the house of God, and all the persons and things consecrated to Him. I showed my anger on that day, since the Jews were desecrating my Father’s house. At the same time I prophesied about my resurrection. No one of course could understand, but my apostles remembered those words after the resurrection and their faith became stronger on account of the Holy Scriptures and the words that I spoke.

In God you move, you live and you have your being. You are called to remember that God is always watching you, that there is nothing hidden to him and that you live in His temple, therefore you should be holy as I am Holy.

I called my body a temple, because this is what the body is, the temple of the spirit of God. If you could be more aware of your spirit, you could be inspired to understand that you have to be zealous of that temple in which your spirit dwells.

I am life, the life that exists in the body, I am the spirit that sustains that life, I am the everlasting presence in the temple of life.

For this reason the man and the woman are called to have respect for the body, the temple of life. No wonder I was so upset about the temple of God being turned into a market place, and I was very angry then, imagine the disgusting spectacle I have to watch continually because of the inordinate passions of human beings.

It makes me sorrowful again to think of all the sufferings I had to endure for many souls that are living in perdition and do not accept my call. They are walking straight into hell.

I also feel my disappointment when people come to my temple without reverence, or when they pray and forget to whom they are speaking to. Those who come to me without respect do not achieve anything. I ignore them.

The spiritual person will spend most of the time contemplating spiritual things, by contrast the worldly person becomes engrossed in the temporary pleasures of the world. This is surely the way to perdition unless there is a change.

Only a very pure and humble heart achieves the perfection that gives the continuous gift of being in the presence of God. This is truly the kind of person that touches my heart. To people like that I reveal my words openly, to them I give special graces to follow in my steps and do my works.

My little soul, being good is not good enough. I am asking you to make an effort to eradicate the passions that govern your life, I am asking you in reality to be free of the burdens of this material world by simply repenting of your past sins, by stopping all sinful activity in body and mind to become one of my favorite ones.

Your efforts will be rewarded eternally and you will enjoy my constant presence. You will safely lean on me, and I will grant you peace.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic Doors

Welcome my brothers and sisters to the First Scrutiny of your Christian Initiation. As I reflect upon the peace and joy of Christ that awaits you, I visualize you as flowers that are about to bloom. Embracing a spiritual view, I perceive how the grace of God has touched your hearts so living water may flow in you and through you.

During today's First Reading from the Book of Exodus, [Exo. 17:3-7] we heard that the people thirsted for water. They complained to Moses who in turn cried out to the Lord. As instructed, Moses, in the presence of the elders, struck the rock and water came out of it.

This incident that occurred during the Old Biblical days was prophetic in nature. As the people in the days of Moses thirsted for water, we also thirst for water. As they knew that life was dry without a personal relationship with God, we also know that life is dry without God. For we are called to search for the greater truth of the Spirit of God, a truth that can only be found when the living water of the Spirit of Christ flows in us.

Moses was commanded by God to strike the rock. Throughout the Holy Bible, God is called the Rock, this being the Name given to God the Father in the Old Testament and to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. To strike the rock was prophetic of the crucifixion of Christ. Striking the rock was prophetic in the sense that once the Rock had been strucked, Christ having died on the Holy Cross for our sins, the Spirit of God would be released upon the world. Through the Spirit of Christ, living water would flow towards the children of God. Those who would answer their calling by welcoming the grace of God and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus, would be welcomed to drink abundantly from this living water.

Today's Second Reading from the Book of Romans [Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8] tells us that we are justified by faith. Through Jesus Christ, we obtain access to the grace of God with Who we now have peace in the hope of sharing in His eternal glory.

To perceive the meaning of justification by faith, it is necessary to go back to an earlier Chapter in the Book of Romans. Our justification, the righteousness that we receive through faith in Jesus Christ by the grace of God as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement, passes over the sins that we previously have committed. [Rom. 3:21-6]

In other words, through our faith in Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism, we are justified by faith through the grace of God from the original sin and the sins committed prior to receiving the Sacrament of Baptism. But once we sin again after our Baptism, we must turn to the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to reinstate our state of grace that maintains our justification by faith in Christ.

Our hope to share in the glory of God does not disappoint us because God's love has been poured in our hearts through the indwelling Holy Spirit that He gives us. God proved His love for us. While we were still sinners, He sent His only beloved Son Jesus Christ to die for us who were ungodly in our worldly nature. Now, through our living faith in Christ, we as Christians come to share in the glory of God by the indwelling Holy Spirit who gives us a new birth as a new creation through the Sacrament of Baptism.

Reviewing today's reading from the Gospel of John, [Jn. 4:5-42] we heard the promise of Jesus to give us living water that will become in us a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. The living water is the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. How do we become springs of water gushing up to eternal life? It is by our lifetime sanctification in Christlikeness through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by shining in our living faith - for faith without works is dead. [Jas. 2:26] It is by the bearing fruit of the Holy Spirit, so we may shine in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. [Gal. 5:22-3] When we persevere in our living faith in Christ by the grace of God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit, we become springs of water gushing up towards our eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

How does this come about to happen? It is through the Sacrament of Baptism. When we are baptized through faith in Christ, our old nature dies with Christ and is buried with Christ. [Rom. 6:4] Through the grace of God, we become new creations of the seed of God [1 Jn. 3:9, 5:18] that resurrects with Christ. [Col. 2:12] The new heart and spirit that we receive during the Sacrament of Baptism are the fulfillment of God's promise that is found in the Old Testament. [Ezek. 11:19-20, 18:31, 36:26-7]

Why are we raised as new creations? Jesus answers that question in today's Gospel. The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such as those to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

As new creations, indebted to Jesus, we are called to embrace holy ways in all things to worship God in spirit. We are called to set aside our worldly ways. We are called to seek the greater things in life that accumulate Heavenly treasures for us. Those who walk in the darkness, seeking wealth, fleshly desires or worldly fame, are alive in the world but dead in Christ. We, gushing with living water through the perseverance of our living faith, hope and charity, have an eternal glory that awaits us as children of God.

My brothers and sisters, the day of your Baptism approaches quickly. Before long, you shall become new creations in Christ so that you too may join us in the worship of God in the spirit. The day of your Baptism shall be a glorious day in Heaven, witnessed by all the angels and saints who are members of the invisible Body of Christ to which we belong. I pray to the Lord God that when you are received in His holy family, you will all become fruitful so you too may go forward as gushing water to brings others to God. Then, one day, we will all rejoice together in Heaven in the Presence of God.

Catholic Doors

The first Bible verse from today's First Reading [Ex. 20:1] states, "God spoke all these words." How appropriate are these words for the Lenten Season. In the First Reading, [Ex. 20:1-7] we heard the Words of God the Father. In the Second Reading, [1 Cor. 1:18, 22-25] we heard the Words of the Holy Spirit speaking through St. Paul. And, in the Gospel of St. John, [Jn. 2:13-25] we heard the Words of Jesus.

From these readings, each Divine Presence of the Holy Trinity provided us with a message as to how we should prepare ourselves during the Lenten Season. And for those who are parents of children, the message includes the "how" of preparing their young ones for the approach of Easter, the glorious Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most of us are familiar with the First Reading because it contained the Ten Commandments. But having heard the Word of God and/or being familiar with it, does this mean that we always practice it? During the Lenten Season, this is the proper time to review the Ten Commandments so we may ask ourselves, "Am I obeying God's Divine Will?" "Am I living a holy life?"

The First Commandment reminds us that there is only One God who brought us out of slavery. It is by the grace of God that we have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism. It is by the grace of God that we have received our new creation as the first instalment towards inheriting the Kingdom of God. Being indebted to God through Jesus Christ, it would be hypocrisy for us to turn to astrology versus faith, to gambling versus Divine Providence, to fortune tellers versus trust in God, to self-abuse through addictions versus maturing in Christ, and the list goes on as we all know.

There is one living God. And our living faith demands of us that we respect Our Lord by remaining loyal to Him in all our thoughts, our words and our actions.

God forbids us to make idols. Some say, "I do not have idols in my home." But, when entering their homes, what do we find? We find good luck charms, good luck elephants of all colours and sizes, good luck unicorns, pictures of movie stars that the teenagers worship, etc... While some may claim that they do not to worship idols, they certainly surround themselves with them.

The Second Commandment reminds us not to use the Most Holy Name of the Lord in vain. That specifically means to stop swearing. Some may claim, well it is just a habit, not being intended against God. Habit or not, it is still using the Name of God in vain and God forbids it.

The Third Commandment reminds us to keep the Sabbath holy. Since the institution of the Holy Catholic Church through Jesus Christ, the Sabbath has been replaced with Sunday as the holy day. Sunday reminds us of the day of the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a holy day! It is a day that God has set aside for us to rest, to go to Church to receive Jesus Christ in our hearts through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It is a day of rejoicing and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a day to praise God, to thank Him for all what He has given us. And when all that is done, it is a time to rest with our family so we may enjoy a loving relationship with one another.

The Fourth Commandment reminds us to honour our parents so we may live a long life. How often do we hear, "I hate my parents because they have so many rules." Yes, many hate their parents because they have many caring and loving rules. These children seem unaware to the fact that a child is God's gift to parents. As such, God expects the parents to raise holy children who know right from wrong. Parents who fail to do so shall be made accountable to God. And if children deliberately make it difficult for their parents by not honouring them, by refusing to respect and obey them, they shall personally be made accountable to God. God knows the hearts and He will not punish the parents who have done all they could to raise their children in righteousness when their children have refused to cooperate and obey.

The Fifth Commandment reminds us not to murder. What is murder? Some think it is just taking a gun and shooting someone. Murder means more than shooting someone. Abortion is murder. Euthanasia is murder. The moment someone dies as a result of promoting wars, hatred, or discrimination against minority groups, it becomes murder. We may not be the one who actually committed the crime but we are just as guilty by encouraging such a crime. The death penalty is murder when it is an abuse of power. If someone is sentenced to death because he is a schizophrenic or because he suffers from another mental illness, is this not the murder of the sick? Where is the compassion and the mercy? Where is the love of Christ to convert sinners? Has God placed us as judges over our brothers to determine who should live and die?

The Sixth Commandment reminds us not to commit adultery. Adultery has become an acceptable norm of society - acceptable to society but not acceptable to God. How many times do we hear of those who say, "Well I live a good life." "I go to Church on Sunday and I receive communion." "I am a good Christian." Not only are these poor souls deceiving themselves while living in sin, but they dare receive Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin, this being just like slapping Jesus in the face. Do they not know that we are not allowed to receive Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin? Do they not know that adultery is a mortal sin? Do they not know that if they died tonight, they would be denied entry into the eternal Kingdom of God because they have chosen their fleshly desires over the righteousness of God?

The Seventh Commandment reminds us not to steal. Many say they do not steal. They borrow but they do not return what they borrowed. They take little things from their employers such as pens, erasers, rulers, never asking for them, nor paying for them. They find an object of value and do not try to find its owner just to make sure that they can keep it, even when they suspect who may have lost it. Some go to the extent of switching prices on merchandise in the stores so they can get a good deal. Others notice that items have been wrongly priced and take advantage of it. Some charge up their Visa or Chargex Cards knowing that they will never be able to pay it back. To solve the problem, they declare personal bankruptcy. These are all different ways of stealing. How can one say he does not steal when he practices these things without scruples?

The Eight Commandment reminds us not to bear false witness against our neighbours. How many allow their tongues to get out of control like a wild fire that destroys a forest? How many say things about others that they would never say in front of their face? How many parents encourage their children to lie against a parent by claiming "abuse" during custody battles? How many have destroyed the reputation of others or caused years of hardship upon a person because of lies? Is this the love that Jesus preached?

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments remind us not to covet our neighbour's house, nor his wife or what belongs to him. It is not spiritually healthy for a husband or wife to spend all their time drinking coffee at the neighbours when they should be striving on maturing in their sacred marriage so they can grow in the love of Jesus with each other. Nor is it spiritually healthy to desire the personal property of one's neighbour. No one has ever gone to Heaven with a suitcase of personal belongings or lots of cash in their pockets. Worldly things are useless in Heaven. If we want Heavenly treasures, we must seek spiritual growth in the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

As St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But for those who are saved, it is the power of God. The message of the cross is the message of love of Jesus that was summarized in two Commandments. First, love God. Secondly, love your neighbours as you would like them to love you. If what I just finished saying about the Ten Commandments is foolishness to me, then I am perishing. Either I live by the teachings of God or I do not! Either I go to Heaven or I do not! It is as simple as that!

We proclaim Christ crucified. To the unbelievers, this is a stumbling block and foolishness. They claim that if Jesus was God, why did the angels not rescue Him from being crucified? They fail to perceive that in Divine love, Jesus took our place on the cross. He died for our sins so we, as children of God, may inherit the Heavenly Kingdom.

Those who think they can see, they are blind. God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom. God's weakness is stronger than human strength. For us who are faithful children of God, Christ is our power. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, in our hearts, we perceive the wisdom of God.

In today's Gospel, we heard of when Jesus went up to the Temple in Jerusalem at the approach of the Passover. There He found people selling animals and exchanging money in His Father's House. Making a whip, Jesus drove the animals out and overturned the tables of the money changers.

The people demanded an explanation from Jesus, under what authority was He acting to do such a thing. Jesus told them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Being blind to the spiritual meaning of the words of Jesus, the people asked how He could do it in three days when the Temple was still under construction after forty-six years. They did not realize that Jesus was talking about His Body, the glorious Resurrection.

During the Lenten Season, this Gospel passage bears another spiritual meaning. We are Temples of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As Jesus cleaned the Temple of the animals and money changers, we should clean our Temples of our habits, our vices, our sins, all what is unrighteous and offensive to the Lord God. While our physical bodies shall die when our moment arrives, our souls shall continue to live because of the loving atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Together, in spirit, we shall await our glorious resurrection when our physical bodies shall be raised from the dead. Then, at the moment of the final judgment, it shall be determined if we are to partake in the eternal Kingdom of God or be denied entrance into His infinite glory.

Death shall destroy our Temples. But until such time as death does its work, we are called by the grace of the Heavenly Father and the power of the Holy Spirit to sanctify our Temples in Christ. We are called to become holy as God is Holy.

As we continue on our journey towards Easter, let us reflect on the cleanliness of our Temples. Let us reflect on what God has said to us when He spoke to us today through the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Let us now make a firm commitment on cleaning our Temples for the glory of God.

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