Third Sunday of Lent

Reflection

In the gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Lent, Jesus speaks about a new temple, his body that will be raised to new life following his death on the cross. In the resurrection, it is this temple that will be raised and made glorious. But more than his resurrected body simply, we understand that the body of Christ is all of us who have been raised to a new dignity in the resurrection of Christ, given new life through the waters of Baptism and made members of the Church. The physical building that had been the Temple in Jerusalem is now replaced by the very body of Christ, who is the new edifice in which Christians find a home, a place to worship, and indeed their salvation.

For many, this all seems foolishness, and becoming members of the body of Christ utter nonsense.  But, as Paul reminds us today, the foolishness of the cross that we embrace and the resurrection of the dead that we expect is for those incorporated into the Body of Christ, the mystical Church, both power and wisdom. Not the power of the world, it is the power of God to save. And not the wisdom of the world, it is the wisdom of God by which we live.  All that the world may prize is undone in the light of the power of the cross to save and the wisdom of God by which we thrive amid life’s struggles.

Prayer

Mighty God and Lord of all, give success to our hands as we build the new Temple of the Lord, the Body of Christ, whose members we are. This we prayer in the name of Jesus, who is head of the Church and whose body we are. Amen.

Rev. David Theroux
Society of St. Edmund

Scripture

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19:8-11
Second Reading: Corinthians 1:22-25
Gospel: John 2:13-25

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website