Third Sunday in Lent

In John’s gospel the cleansing of the temple occurs at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He is threatening the Temple authority’s power by declaring them unnecessary. Some suggest that that the overturning of the tables in today’s gospel could be seen as his ‘mission statement.’* We see what was in Jesus’ heart. His passion fires his words and actions and expressed as anger. The cleansing of the temple is an action parable. It sets the stage for what is to come. We see how intertwined are Jesus' identity and mission. Jesus is God’s presence on earth who ‘hears the cry of the poor’. God is in solidarity with all who suffer any kind of injustice. ‘I will live among you. I will be a living temple.’

Second Sunday in Lent

Walter Brueggemann referring to the Bible’s central vision of world history being the oneness of all creation, writes ‘Every creature in community with every other, living in harmony and security toward the joy and well-being of every other creature.’ Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom. Is this possible? For this to be possible, the readings call us to listen. They point to what God wants and confront us with what we will do with Jesus’ various epiphanies or revelations. 

First Sunday in Lent

Pope Francis continually calls us to be an open and welcoming Church. Those in leadership should not be a ‘a closed caste’ but lead in going to the uncomfortable edges to be in solidarity with all who are rejected and forgotten. Our response needs to involve reach out where people’s wounds are healed and restored to the whole community without studying the situation and its consequence. He condemns the ‘narrow and prejudiced mentality’ where people cling to religious laws out of fear and reject those who should be ministered to - people ‘who encounter discrimination.