3rd Sunday of Lent (Cycle B, Year II)

Community Word:Jesus, our Redeemer, calls us to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Theme: As the temple of the Holy Spirit we obey God’s commandment.

Promise: “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul … giving wisdom to the simple.” (Ps 19:8a)

Reflection:
Our community Word for the month of March is – Jesus, our Redeemer calls us to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Being mindful that we are the Lord’s dwelling place, in this season of Lent, it is an opportune time for us to probe what is in our hearts and allow Jesus to purify us.

For the 3rd Sunday of Lent, our theme tells us that, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, we obey God’s commandment. We show our love for God if we obey and accept His decrees. In Exodus 20: 1-17, God’s 10 commandments are being laid out. The first three commandments govern our relationship with God and the last seven commandments set the laws of our relationship with others and our neighbors. God gave us these commandments to keep strong our covenantal relationship with Him. We are not bound only to God, but also to the people around us.

The commandments are not meant to enslave us but to provide life for those who follow them. In Psalm 19, God’s laws produces only good things for those who keep them: refreshed souls, wisdom for the simple, rejoicing hearts, and enlightened eyes. Obeying God is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, the cornerstone of God’s plan for salvation. Yet, St. Paul tells us Christ was considered a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. He ends his exhortation by proclaiming that even the weakest power of God is stronger than any obstacles placed by man. And the wisest of human wisdom is merely foolishness in God’s eyes. God’s covenant relationship with us is beyond human comprehension, but only those who are called and accept Jesus as our Lord know that Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

Finally, we can compare Jesus’ cleansing of the temple in the gospel reading with the cleansing and purification of our souls from sin to make us living temples of the Holy Spirit, to rid ourselves of obstacles that will keep us away from God. To accept and obey our loving God means that we undergo a renewal of mind and transformation of heart, to change and live in a manner that people may see goodness in us and they might come to believe that God is love and alive in us.

Let us then allow God to help us experience the freedom to enjoy a deep covenant relationship with Him. Let us remain humble and be obedient to His precepts, for we are assured in this promise that, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul…giving wisdom to the simple,” (Ps 19: 18).

Prayer:
Lord God, we thank you for desiring to have a deep and lasting relationship with us by inviting us to simply obey Your commands and precepts. Forgive us for the blocks we have built in our hearts that keep us away from You. Help us to enjoy the wisdom, joy, enlightenment, richness and sweetness of being in relationship with You and to share it with others. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
1. Do I value the Ten Commandments? How can I best live out my relationship with God and others through them?

2. How open am I to the cleansing power of God during the season of Lent?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
March 4, 2018 (Sun)- Ex 20:1-17/ Ps 19:8-11/ 1Cor 1:22-25/ Jn 2:13-25
March 5, 2018 (Mon) -2Kgs 5:1-15/Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4/Lk 4:24-30
March 6, 2018 (Tue) – Dn 3:25, 34-43/Ps 25:4-9/Mt 18:21-35
March 7, 2018 (Wed) -Dt 4:1, 5-9/Ps 147:12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20/Mt 5:17-19
March 8, 2018 (Thu) – Jer 7:23-28/Ps 95:1, 2, 6-9/Lk 11:14-23
March 9, 2018 (Fri)-Hos 14:2-10/Ps 81:6-11, 14, 17/Mk 12:28-34
March 10, 2018 (Sat) – Hos 6:1-6/Ps 51:3-4, 18-21/Lk 18:9-14

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”