3rd Sunday of Lent (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 3rd Sunday of Lent (B), March 11, 2012

Liturgical readings

Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-25

"He was talking about the temple of His Body."

There is a DVD on "The Gospel of John". What makes the film very good is its focus on the gospel story and not the actors. No famous names nor multi-awarded actors nor actresses are mentioned. This was done for the viewers' attention; that they may not be distracted from the storyline of John's gospel. In the film, when the scene that refers to the story of Jesus' Cleansing of the Temple is shown, Jesus' zeal and indignation at the moneychangers in the Temple was forcefully represented. Even when the many details of the scene are already added interpretations of the film's producers, the viewers will still understand well the value of respect for sacred things, places and all that pertains to worshipping Yahweh.

That film's scene on the Cleansing of the Temple is this Sunday's gospel. The gospel refers to Jesus presenting His Body as a temple. He prophesied that when His enemies would destroy the temple of His Body, God will bring it back to Life. Jesus' hearers and followers did not understand this at first. So did the all the Jewish people of His time. They always knew the temple as the temple King Solomon built for them (which took many years to build). Only when the events of the crucifixion, death and resurrection happened, did Christ's followers begin to understand more what Jesus was teaching regarding the temple of His Body. It was that Temple that was brought to life again after three days.

From the Scriptures John wrote, to the film's scene on the Cleansing on the Temple, we are now called to understand what it means today. We live in a very modern and secularized environment. In this secularized world one can learn to respect sacred realities and things as it was in the olden days. All the monks, desert fathers and saints of Eastern and Western Christianity give a very good example of piety and fear of God. They and the Church today know well the danger of impiety, irreverence and disrespect against all sacred matters. Modern man can live among many man-made things but need not be too attached to it. Too much attachment can produce arrogance and pride in the soul.

So this Sunday's gospel reminds all of us to place God above all - especially when in His Temple. It makes all realize that man-made things are simply means, and not ends in themselves. Christ teaches all the faithful to have a healthy detachment and indifference to all matters that pertain to world.

2nd Sunday of Lent (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 2nd Sunday of Lent (B), March 4,2012

Liturgical readings
Genesis 22:1-2a, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Psalm 116
Romans 8:31b-34
Mark 9:2-10

"Listen to Him."

Some bible scholars would interpret the mystery of Christ's transfiguration as a prefigurement of His resurrection - a glimpse of what that future mystery would be. Since Jesus had been telling his apostles of His impending death (Mark 9:31-33), the vision of the Transfiguration was meant to encourage Peter, James and John - to encourage them through the Crucifixion events until His resurrection. The discouraging events of the crucifixion was truly a test of faith for all of Christ's apostles. All the faithful today know what happened: Peter suffered from his denial of Jesus; James probably fled and hid together with the others; and John accompanied Mary to the foot of the Cross where they witnessed the agony and passion of Christ on the Cross.

So the Transfiguration was a mystery revealed to two leaders of the apostles (Peter for the entire Church, and James for the local community of Jerusalem) and to an evangelist (the apostle John). In that event that happened on a mountain, a voice from heaven called out: "Listen to Him". The apostles with Jesus heard the voice, but they did not understand entirely what it meant. Like the other apostles and followers of Jesus, they clung to traditional Jewish understanding which believes the Messiah would be a political leader - one who would liberate Israel from foreign powers. Jesus however made it clear that His kingdom is not of this world. His mission was to free humanity from sin and death. Only when the events of His passion took place, did all the followers fully understand the Truth of God in Jesus. It took time for the apostles, and also for us today, to learn to listen well.

Listening. To listen. It seems coincidental that the letters in the word "listen" are also the same letters in the word "silent". Silence is the key to understand and know who Jesus is for each and everyone. The liturgical season of Lent is a time to listen very well to Jesus and His words in the Eucharist. If one puts aside some time for silence and prayer, then understanding the meaning of the faith will reveal why we are where we are, and what we should do where we are. The apostles' vision of Christ's Transfiguration is a vision of faith we all need to understand also for ourselves. It is a mystery not only meant for the apostles, but also for all the faithful. It is a gift for the Church so that all may be encouraged in times where faith in Jesus needs the strength of discipline.

Memorial of Saints (February 20)

St. Ulric was an English hermit. He was converted to this state of life by a beggar he conversed with. But before he became a hermit, he was a parish priest. In his conversion to the eremitical life, Ulric's led a very penitential and holy life, which led kings Henry I and Stephen (successor to Henry) to make a pilgrimage to Ulric's hermit cell. Various miracles were reported at Ulric's tomb (died ca. 1154 A.D.).

Blessed Elizabeth of Mantua was an Italian of noble and wealthy ancestry. Elizabeth and one of her sisters entered the Third Order of the Servites after their mother's death. Elizabeth was known to have the gift of making predictions - with one prediction accurately made about her death, before it happened a year after. Many miracles were reported to have happened at her tomb (died ca. 1468 A.D.).

St. Eleutherius of Tournai became bishop of Tournai in Gaul in the year 486 A.D. At that time, the Arian heresy was influencing many Christians to their teaching. But St. Eleutherius was able to win back his people from the Arians. Because of his success, a group of Arians attacked him and beat him up as he left his church (died ca. 532 A.D.).

Sts. Tyrannio, Zenobius and Companions were martyrs of the early 4th century A.D. Tyrannio was bishop of Tyre, while Zenobius was a priest and physician of Sidon. Together with other Christians, they were martyred for their faith in Christ. St. Tyrannio was tortured, and then was drowned. St. Zenobius was put on the rack, and died later on from the torture (died ca. 310 A.D.).

St. Sadoth was a deacon who represented his bishop in the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. When Sadoth's bishop was martyred, Sadoth succeeded to the episcopate. But because of the intense persecutions of Christians at the time by Persian King Sapor II, Sadoth went into hiding. Sapor II eventually reached also the area where Sadoth was, and had him and many of his faithful imprisoned. All of them were tortured and St. Sadoth was beheaded (died ca. 342 A.D.).

St. Eucherius of Orleans became a Benedictine monk. Despite his vehement objections, he was elected bishop of Orleans in 721 A.D. When Eucherius opposed Charles Martel in the use of Church revenues to finance his wars, Martel exiled Eucherius to Cologne in Germany. In Cologne, Eucherius became popular, so Charles had him arrested but allowed Eucherius to retire to a monastery near Maastricht in the Netherlands (died ca. 743 A.D.).