Note: Alternate readings used when RCIA is the focus for this day are found below in a second section.
Readings for the Third Sunday of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Exodus 20:1-17
Then God delivered all these commandments:
"I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
"Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."
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Commentary on Ex 20:1-17
In this selection we are given the Exodus version of the delivery of the Ten Commandments by Moses. While the division into Ten Commandments is somewhat uncertain, we believe that verses 1-6 is one commandment while verse 7 is two (see also Deuteronomy 5:6-21).
“The chief discrepancies between Exodus and Deuteronomy consist in the humanitarian motivation added in the latter for the observance of the Sabbath precept, and in the reversal of order in Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21. In Exodus, ‘house’ is named first and then ‘wife.’”[4]
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Or: Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
Then God delivered all these commandments:
"I, the LORD am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the Lord, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."
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Commentary on Ex 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
This shorter version of the Ten Commandments by Moses omits more detailed explanations of the prohibition against idol worship and the intended extent of sabbath rest.
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Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage we give praise to God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts.
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:22-25
The Gospel St. Paul preaches shocks both the Jews and the Greeks. “The Jews expected and demanded signs, i.e., spectacular miracles that showed divine intervention. They looked for a messiah who would inaugurate their nation's sovereignty over the Gentiles by a display of miraculous power (Mathew 12:38; 16:4; John 4:48; 6:30-31). The Greeks searched for "wisdom," i.e., philosophies that pretended to give a satisfactory explanation of man and the cosmos. To the Jew, the Crucified Christ is a scandal, i.e., a cause of offense and revulsion and an object of vigorous opposition and anger.”[6]
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Gospel: John 2:13-25
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.
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Commentary on Jn 2:13-25
Jesus' actions there are acted-out prophecy and his play on words constitutes prophetic fore-telling. The temple transactions were legitimate; they were conducted in the appropriate temple area; and they were essential supports of the temple service.
The explanation of Jesus’ behavior is found in an allusion from Zechariah (14:21), who said that at the end-time there would be no need for merchants in the house of the Lord. The psalm text says that zeal for the house of God makes the psalmist vulnerable to the scorn and abuse of others (cf. Psalm 69:9). By driving the merchants out of the temple precincts, Jesus announces that the time of fulfillment has come. Identifying God as his Father affirms his right to make such a claim and to act in accord with it.
In the final verses of this passage Jesus sees that many of those who follow him do so only because of the miraculous signs he has performed (see also John 6:2). He recognizes that faith based upon the superficial signs is unstable and confused.
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Reflection:
The third week of lent begins with the presentation of the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) from Exodus. The heart of the law is put in front of us supported by a psalm praising the law and interestingly coupled with the story of Jesus and the money changers from John’s Gospel and part of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians focused on differentiating Christians from Greek Philosophers and Jews thinking only of the law.
The threads, as usual are numerous. The most common seems to be the evolution of our understanding of God. We start with Moses presenting the Ten Commandments to the Hebrew people who, as the Psalmist infers, took the whole of the law to heart. Many of them, especially the Priestly class, focused on the letter of the law and taught that this was truly God’s will and that failure to follow the explicit precepts would result in punishment from God. They built a whole cult around the scrupulous observance of the law and, as we see in other places in scripture, lorded it over those more “causal” worshipers.
The reason we want to remember this evolution of legal observance is because it is directly responsible for the situation Jesus discovered in the temple and the reason he became distraught. Jesus found vendors selling all manner of sacrificial animals and, because Roman money was not accepted by the temple, money changers taking the coin of the realm and changing it for the Tyrian half-shekel which was accepted.
Like everywhere else we can be sure the vendors in the temple were not there because they were altruistic. They were there to make a profit and I am sure our Savior’s blood must have boiled when he saw those pilgrims coming to the temple and being bilked by the temple vendors. You can also be sure that the temple leadership itself was getting a cut of the proceeds. Remember now, this was His Father’s house!
This is where we must remember that we hate the sin and love the sinner. Jesus proceeded to seriously disrupt the practice he abhorred. He turned over the tables of the money changers and really made a stink. You can imagine what the temple leaders thought of this. It would be like someone standing in the vestibule of the church and telling everyone the church itself was crooked. Is it any wonder they wanted him dead?
From a historical perspective, all of this is interesting and it tells us how our Lord came to change things. It explains why there was so much animosity toward him from the Sanhedrin. But what actions on our part do these events drive? What lesson does it teach? This is where we have to pick just one for today, for there are many we could choose.
One piece of all this wonderful scripture speaks to us and our Lenten journey; "Zeal for your house will consume me." In the Gospel, the disciples quote Psalm 69 v.10 which, according to scholars is the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We tend to get downcast if all we do during lent is focus upon the bad we have done. Even if we pledge to do better in areas where we have failed one can get pretty depressed. But if, like Christ, zeal for our Father’s house consumes us – ah, that means we light up the world.
Zeal for our Father’s house means we are excited about our faith and excited to pass it on to others. Have you ever seen a child with a prize – they want to tell everyone about it. That’s zeal for our Father’s house. We can become like that. We can develop that excitement if it is what is truly important to us. Let us all pledge, then, that from this point forward zeal for our Father’s house will consume us and we will be a light to those we meet.
Pax
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Third Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA) Cycle B
Reading 1: Exodus 17:3-7
In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?"
So Moses cried out to the LORD,
"What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!"
The LORD answered Moses,
"Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink."
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
"Is the LORD in our midst or not?"
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Commentary on Ex 17:3-7
This passage continues the journey of the Hebrews in the desert following their departure from Egypt. Here they complain bitterly against Moses for having taken them to a land with no water and the hardship causes them to doubt that God is with them. In response to this challenge, God provides yet another miracle as he commands Moses to take his staff and strike the rock at Horeb reveling a spring of water. The place was later named Massah . . . Meribah: Hebrew words meaning respectively, "the (place of the) test," and, "the (place of the) quarreling."
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Responsorial Psalm:[5]Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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Commentary on Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
This part of Psalm 95, commonly used as the invitatory psalm for the Liturgy of the Hours, is a song of thanks giving. In these strophes the incident at Meribah is remembered and God’s underserved mercy proclaimed. The community is rejoicing that the Lord is God and that he has brought us salvation in spite of our forbearer’s obstinacy. We are encouraged to listen to the Lord, even if what we are asked is difficult.
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Reading II: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
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Commentary on Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
“Popular piety frequently construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf John 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that God's justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God's initiative in certifying humanity for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God's gift of pardon to the entire human race.”[7]
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Gospel: John 4:5-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water."
Jesus said to her,
"Go call your husband and come back."
The woman answered and said to him,
"I do not have a husband."
Jesus answered her,
"You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.'
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one speaking with you."
At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, "What are you looking for?"
or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
"Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?"
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat."
But he said to them,
"I have food to eat of which you do not know."
So the disciples said to one another,
"Could someone have brought him something to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
"He told me everything I have done."
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Commentary on Jn 4:5-42
The story of the Samaritan Woman, told in its entirety provides several theological points. First, the fact that Jesus came this way implies his broader mission, not just to the Jews but to the whole world. The fact that, upon meeting the Samaritan woman he asked for a drink is significant in that Jews would have never have considered drinking from the same vessel as a Samaritan woman who would have been considered ritually unclean.
The discourse with the woman is instructive, providing rich imagery of water and spirit recalling the gifts given in Baptism. At the same time we see the recognition that Jesus is the Messiah (although the Samaritans would have had a different expectation of the Messiah, thinking more in the lines of a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).
The conclusion of the story demonstrates the clear perception by those who encounter Christ that he is the Messiah. This revelatory presence is noted in the concluding verses of the story as the Samarians exclaim “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Or: John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.
"I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one who is speaking with you."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Commentary on Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
In this shorter version of the story of the Samaritan Woman part of the dialogue is omitted that revolves around the primacy of the Jews in receiving God’s word. There is also omitted the Lord’s description of the woman’s past life and the encounter with the Lord’s disciples and his decision to stay.
Presented in this form the story focuses more on the identity of Christ and less on his universal mission.
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Reflection:
The story of the Samaritan Woman at the well can overpower the other Sacred Scripture given today. The theme that seems to run through the Old Testament reading about Massah and Meribah and the Gospel is the water theme. In both cases God gave living water to those who challenged Him.
We note that the water given to the “stiff-necked” Hebrews at Horeb was a sign that God was with them. We see in the story of the Samaritan Woman, the water offered to her was symbolic of faith that once given would give everlasting life. We can feel the similarities and the differences if we place these two encounters with God side by side.
Perhaps the most significant similarity is that, in both cases, God’s presence was needed either for life in the literal sense or life in the spiritual sense. In both cases God was asked for water, in both cases, though the request was not merited, God responded.
As always we see the Word of God as both an invitation and a promise. The promise in this case is that if we need God’s indwelling strength all we need to do is ask. We do not need to presume we have done anything to merit God’s saving help. Rather we know that we are undeserving. If the Jews in the desert, who had already seen God’s mighty hand part the sea for them to leave Egypt; had seen the pillar of fire that kept them safe from Pharaoh’s chariots, could question whether God was with them and still receive water in the desert, how much more can we who work hard to remain faithful expect? If Jesus offered the Samaritan Woman, married five times and living with still another man, could be offered the faith and salvation of God, how much more can we who try to live by his statues expect?
That is the promise; what then is the invitation? The invitation is to be like Christ in our love and generosity to others; even others who do not share or appreciate our values. Each day we are given the opportunity to demonstrate our faith. We are asked for help by those whom society might call “undeserving”, and we are challenged by those who see our faith and beliefs as superstitious nonsense. Each day we are invited to respond to these challenges with faith and compassion. Each day we can choose to offer living water to those who are in need.
As we reflect today about the gifts of water and spirit, let us pray that what flows in us may become a fountain, giving God’s gift to those who are in need.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “Christ Driving the Money Changers Out of the Temple” by Calentin De Boulogne, 1618
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on Exodus 20:1-17, §48
[5] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[6] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, §22
[7] See NAB footnote on Romans 5:1-11
Readings for the Third Sunday of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Exodus 20:1-17
Then God delivered all these commandments:
"I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
"Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."
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Commentary on Ex 20:1-17
In this selection we are given the Exodus version of the delivery of the Ten Commandments by Moses. While the division into Ten Commandments is somewhat uncertain, we believe that verses 1-6 is one commandment while verse 7 is two (see also Deuteronomy 5:6-21).
“The chief discrepancies between Exodus and Deuteronomy consist in the humanitarian motivation added in the latter for the observance of the Sabbath precept, and in the reversal of order in Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21. In Exodus, ‘house’ is named first and then ‘wife.’”[4]
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Or: Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
Then God delivered all these commandments:
"I, the LORD am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the Lord, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."
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Commentary on Ex 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
This shorter version of the Ten Commandments by Moses omits more detailed explanations of the prohibition against idol worship and the intended extent of sabbath rest.
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Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage we give praise to God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts.
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:22-25
The Gospel St. Paul preaches shocks both the Jews and the Greeks. “The Jews expected and demanded signs, i.e., spectacular miracles that showed divine intervention. They looked for a messiah who would inaugurate their nation's sovereignty over the Gentiles by a display of miraculous power (Mathew 12:38; 16:4; John 4:48; 6:30-31). The Greeks searched for "wisdom," i.e., philosophies that pretended to give a satisfactory explanation of man and the cosmos. To the Jew, the Crucified Christ is a scandal, i.e., a cause of offense and revulsion and an object of vigorous opposition and anger.”[6]
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Gospel: John 2:13-25
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.
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Commentary on Jn 2:13-25
Jesus' actions there are acted-out prophecy and his play on words constitutes prophetic fore-telling. The temple transactions were legitimate; they were conducted in the appropriate temple area; and they were essential supports of the temple service.
The explanation of Jesus’ behavior is found in an allusion from Zechariah (14:21), who said that at the end-time there would be no need for merchants in the house of the Lord. The psalm text says that zeal for the house of God makes the psalmist vulnerable to the scorn and abuse of others (cf. Psalm 69:9). By driving the merchants out of the temple precincts, Jesus announces that the time of fulfillment has come. Identifying God as his Father affirms his right to make such a claim and to act in accord with it.
In the final verses of this passage Jesus sees that many of those who follow him do so only because of the miraculous signs he has performed (see also John 6:2). He recognizes that faith based upon the superficial signs is unstable and confused.
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Reflection:
The third week of lent begins with the presentation of the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) from Exodus. The heart of the law is put in front of us supported by a psalm praising the law and interestingly coupled with the story of Jesus and the money changers from John’s Gospel and part of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians focused on differentiating Christians from Greek Philosophers and Jews thinking only of the law.
The threads, as usual are numerous. The most common seems to be the evolution of our understanding of God. We start with Moses presenting the Ten Commandments to the Hebrew people who, as the Psalmist infers, took the whole of the law to heart. Many of them, especially the Priestly class, focused on the letter of the law and taught that this was truly God’s will and that failure to follow the explicit precepts would result in punishment from God. They built a whole cult around the scrupulous observance of the law and, as we see in other places in scripture, lorded it over those more “causal” worshipers.
The reason we want to remember this evolution of legal observance is because it is directly responsible for the situation Jesus discovered in the temple and the reason he became distraught. Jesus found vendors selling all manner of sacrificial animals and, because Roman money was not accepted by the temple, money changers taking the coin of the realm and changing it for the Tyrian half-shekel which was accepted.
Like everywhere else we can be sure the vendors in the temple were not there because they were altruistic. They were there to make a profit and I am sure our Savior’s blood must have boiled when he saw those pilgrims coming to the temple and being bilked by the temple vendors. You can also be sure that the temple leadership itself was getting a cut of the proceeds. Remember now, this was His Father’s house!
This is where we must remember that we hate the sin and love the sinner. Jesus proceeded to seriously disrupt the practice he abhorred. He turned over the tables of the money changers and really made a stink. You can imagine what the temple leaders thought of this. It would be like someone standing in the vestibule of the church and telling everyone the church itself was crooked. Is it any wonder they wanted him dead?
From a historical perspective, all of this is interesting and it tells us how our Lord came to change things. It explains why there was so much animosity toward him from the Sanhedrin. But what actions on our part do these events drive? What lesson does it teach? This is where we have to pick just one for today, for there are many we could choose.
One piece of all this wonderful scripture speaks to us and our Lenten journey; "Zeal for your house will consume me." In the Gospel, the disciples quote Psalm 69 v.10 which, according to scholars is the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We tend to get downcast if all we do during lent is focus upon the bad we have done. Even if we pledge to do better in areas where we have failed one can get pretty depressed. But if, like Christ, zeal for our Father’s house consumes us – ah, that means we light up the world.
Zeal for our Father’s house means we are excited about our faith and excited to pass it on to others. Have you ever seen a child with a prize – they want to tell everyone about it. That’s zeal for our Father’s house. We can become like that. We can develop that excitement if it is what is truly important to us. Let us all pledge, then, that from this point forward zeal for our Father’s house will consume us and we will be a light to those we meet.
Pax
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Third Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA) Cycle B
Reading 1: Exodus 17:3-7
In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?"
So Moses cried out to the LORD,
"What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!"
The LORD answered Moses,
"Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink."
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
"Is the LORD in our midst or not?"
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Commentary on Ex 17:3-7
This passage continues the journey of the Hebrews in the desert following their departure from Egypt. Here they complain bitterly against Moses for having taken them to a land with no water and the hardship causes them to doubt that God is with them. In response to this challenge, God provides yet another miracle as he commands Moses to take his staff and strike the rock at Horeb reveling a spring of water. The place was later named Massah . . . Meribah: Hebrew words meaning respectively, "the (place of the) test," and, "the (place of the) quarreling."
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Responsorial Psalm:[5]Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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Commentary on Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
This part of Psalm 95, commonly used as the invitatory psalm for the Liturgy of the Hours, is a song of thanks giving. In these strophes the incident at Meribah is remembered and God’s underserved mercy proclaimed. The community is rejoicing that the Lord is God and that he has brought us salvation in spite of our forbearer’s obstinacy. We are encouraged to listen to the Lord, even if what we are asked is difficult.
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Reading II: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
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Commentary on Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
“Popular piety frequently construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf John 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that God's justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God's initiative in certifying humanity for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God's gift of pardon to the entire human race.”[7]
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Gospel: John 4:5-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water."
Jesus said to her,
"Go call your husband and come back."
The woman answered and said to him,
"I do not have a husband."
Jesus answered her,
"You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.'
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one speaking with you."
At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, "What are you looking for?"
or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
"Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?"
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat."
But he said to them,
"I have food to eat of which you do not know."
So the disciples said to one another,
"Could someone have brought him something to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
"He told me everything I have done."
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Commentary on Jn 4:5-42
The story of the Samaritan Woman, told in its entirety provides several theological points. First, the fact that Jesus came this way implies his broader mission, not just to the Jews but to the whole world. The fact that, upon meeting the Samaritan woman he asked for a drink is significant in that Jews would have never have considered drinking from the same vessel as a Samaritan woman who would have been considered ritually unclean.
The discourse with the woman is instructive, providing rich imagery of water and spirit recalling the gifts given in Baptism. At the same time we see the recognition that Jesus is the Messiah (although the Samaritans would have had a different expectation of the Messiah, thinking more in the lines of a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).
The conclusion of the story demonstrates the clear perception by those who encounter Christ that he is the Messiah. This revelatory presence is noted in the concluding verses of the story as the Samarians exclaim “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Or: John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.
"I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one who is speaking with you."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."
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Commentary on Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
In this shorter version of the story of the Samaritan Woman part of the dialogue is omitted that revolves around the primacy of the Jews in receiving God’s word. There is also omitted the Lord’s description of the woman’s past life and the encounter with the Lord’s disciples and his decision to stay.
Presented in this form the story focuses more on the identity of Christ and less on his universal mission.
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Reflection:
The story of the Samaritan Woman at the well can overpower the other Sacred Scripture given today. The theme that seems to run through the Old Testament reading about Massah and Meribah and the Gospel is the water theme. In both cases God gave living water to those who challenged Him.
We note that the water given to the “stiff-necked” Hebrews at Horeb was a sign that God was with them. We see in the story of the Samaritan Woman, the water offered to her was symbolic of faith that once given would give everlasting life. We can feel the similarities and the differences if we place these two encounters with God side by side.
Perhaps the most significant similarity is that, in both cases, God’s presence was needed either for life in the literal sense or life in the spiritual sense. In both cases God was asked for water, in both cases, though the request was not merited, God responded.
As always we see the Word of God as both an invitation and a promise. The promise in this case is that if we need God’s indwelling strength all we need to do is ask. We do not need to presume we have done anything to merit God’s saving help. Rather we know that we are undeserving. If the Jews in the desert, who had already seen God’s mighty hand part the sea for them to leave Egypt; had seen the pillar of fire that kept them safe from Pharaoh’s chariots, could question whether God was with them and still receive water in the desert, how much more can we who work hard to remain faithful expect? If Jesus offered the Samaritan Woman, married five times and living with still another man, could be offered the faith and salvation of God, how much more can we who try to live by his statues expect?
That is the promise; what then is the invitation? The invitation is to be like Christ in our love and generosity to others; even others who do not share or appreciate our values. Each day we are given the opportunity to demonstrate our faith. We are asked for help by those whom society might call “undeserving”, and we are challenged by those who see our faith and beliefs as superstitious nonsense. Each day we are invited to respond to these challenges with faith and compassion. Each day we can choose to offer living water to those who are in need.
As we reflect today about the gifts of water and spirit, let us pray that what flows in us may become a fountain, giving God’s gift to those who are in need.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “Christ Driving the Money Changers Out of the Temple” by Calentin De Boulogne, 1618
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on Exodus 20:1-17, §48
[5] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[6] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, §22
[7] See NAB footnote on Romans 5:1-11
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