We continue our Lenten Message Series. The picture above is one I took during our Parish Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is a view from Mount Tabor where our journey left off last week. What is your reaction to the photo and the view?
Reactions are a part of our life, we have thousand of them each day. To what we or others wear, watch on TV or even have for dinner. Most are pretty basic and allow us to make our way through an average day, but some are most significant & impact our life, values and livelihood (not to mention happiness). Our readings, as we continue this Lenten journey lead us toward a reflection upon Reactions, Decisions and Choices - how we make them, what shapes them and who influences them.
Reactions are a part of our life, we have thousand of them each day. To what we or others wear, watch on TV or even have for dinner. Most are pretty basic and allow us to make our way through an average day, but some are most significant & impact our life, values and livelihood (not to mention happiness). Our readings, as we continue this Lenten journey lead us toward a reflection upon Reactions, Decisions and Choices - how we make them, what shapes them and who influences them.
Our gospel invites us to reflect on the reaction of
Jesus as He entered the temple and cleared it. It invites us to see His reaction
for who He is for us.
On the First Sunday of Lent, when Jesus was tempted in the desert, He revealed His humanity – in His hunger – and His divinity in His rejection of the temptations of the evil one. On the Second Sunday of Lent, in the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, we heard Jesus referred to as God’s “beloved Son”, and we were asked to “Listen to him”.
Now, on this Third Sunday of our Lenten season, we are challenged by the gospel to see a different side of Jesus, but as a man inspired by God to cleanse the Temple. He prophesies His resurrection from the dead and He says that He will “destroy this temple and in three days … raise it up” speak of His rootedness in the plan of God for Him. Although the disciples did not understand Him, He was talking about His death (‘this temple” referring to His body), and His resurrection three days later. Only later, after the resurrection, did they put the pieces of the puzzle together and understand His true meaning. They too had a reaction to what He was doing.
Sometimes God does puzzling things in our life, are we willing to try and understand His meaning “three days later?” What is your reaction?
On the First Sunday of Lent, when Jesus was tempted in the desert, He revealed His humanity – in His hunger – and His divinity in His rejection of the temptations of the evil one. On the Second Sunday of Lent, in the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, we heard Jesus referred to as God’s “beloved Son”, and we were asked to “Listen to him”.
Now, on this Third Sunday of our Lenten season, we are challenged by the gospel to see a different side of Jesus, but as a man inspired by God to cleanse the Temple. He prophesies His resurrection from the dead and He says that He will “destroy this temple and in three days … raise it up” speak of His rootedness in the plan of God for Him. Although the disciples did not understand Him, He was talking about His death (‘this temple” referring to His body), and His resurrection three days later. Only later, after the resurrection, did they put the pieces of the puzzle together and understand His true meaning. They too had a reaction to what He was doing.
Sometimes God does puzzling things in our life, are we willing to try and understand His meaning “three days later?” What is your reaction?