Note: Alternate readings used for Year A Scrutinies are found below in a second section.
(Year B Readings)
Catechism Links [1]
CCC 459, 577-582: Jesus and the Law
CCC 593, 583-586: Temple prefigures Christ; he is the Temple
CCC 1967-1968: The New Law completes the Old
CCC 272, 550, 853: Christ’s power revealed in the Cross
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| “Christ Driving the Money Changers Out of the by Calentin De Boulogne, 1618 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Exodus 20:1-17
Commentary on Ex 20:1-17
In this reading we are given the Exodus version of the delivery of the Ten Commandments by Moses. The fact that the Decalogue is repeated here and in Deuteronomy indicates the importance of these statutes as a moral code for the people of God. While the division into Ten Commandments is somewhat uncertain, we believe that verses 1-6 constitute one commandment while verse 7 describes 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.’” [5]
CCC: Ex 20:1-17 2056; Ex 20:2-5 2083; Ex 20:2 2061; Ex 20:7 2141; Ex 20:8-10 2167; Ex 20:11 2169; Ex 20:12 2196, 2200, 2214; Ex 20:13 2257; Ex 20:14 2330; Ex 20:15 2400; Ex 20:16 2463, 2504; Ex 20:17 1456, 2513, 2533
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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.
CCC: Ex 20:1-17 2056; Ex 20:2-5 2083; Ex 20:2 2061; Ex 20:7 2141; Ex 20:8-10 2167; Ex 20:12 2196, 2200, 2214; Ex 20:13 2257; Ex 20:14 2330; Ex 20:15 2400; Ex 20:16 2463, 2504; Ex 20:17 1456, 2513, 2533
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage, we give praise for God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn extols the virtues of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25
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]
CCC: 1 Cor 1:24-25 272
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Gospel: John 2:13-25
Commentary on Jn 2:13-25
Jesus' actions in this selection are acted-out prophecy and his play on words constitutes prophetic foretelling. The temple transactions were legitimate; they were conducted in the appropriate temple area, and they were essential supports of the temple service. (If we look at the setting of this event according to St. Mark's Gospel (Mark 11:11; 11:15-19) we see that Jesus was in the temple on the previous day and so this was likely a premeditated action, part of his revelation as Messiah.)
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 superficial signs is unstable and confused.
CCC: Jn 2:13-14 583; Jn 2:16-17 584; Jn 2:18-22 586; Jn 2:18 575; Jn 2:19-22 994; Jn 2:21 586; Jn 2:25 473
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Homily:
It seems like just yesterday that we heard the words: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” Now Ash Wednesday is three and a half weeks back, and we are half way through Lent. It is the reflective three weeks. The weeks where we look inside ourselves and look at all the “stuff” that has accumulated since the last time we celebrated the great feast of Easter, the springtime of our year when the joy of the Risen Christ lifts our spirts with new dedication.
We ask ourselves today how we’ve done in identifying what we need to fix or get rid of. And just in time for that introspective look at our spiritual house, we hear the stories of Moses delivering the Ten Commandments and St. John’s story of Jesus cleansing the temple.
These stories are familiar to us. Many of you know I have had an apostolate of the Word for the past 12 years. I sit down and reflect on the daily Mass readings each morning and then write commentaries on the scripture and either a reflection or a homily (depending upon whether I have to preach the word or not). Over the years many have asked if I could email them these posts which are also available on our St. Thomas website.
Occasionally one of these subscribers sends me a question. I received one such question last week from a brother deacon down in Kentucky. He forwarded a question that came out of a scripture class he was teaching. His question was this: What’s the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God? It’s an interesting question. He further mentioned that he remembered reading that the Kingdom of God lies within each of us. Ultimately I asked another friend who is a scripture scholar and consulted some resources.
The short answer, if you are interested, is that the two are used synonymously, that is, they are used interchangeably. However, in taking a look at Scott Hahn’s Catholic Bible Dictionary, we also discover there are three theological dimensions of the Kingdom of God. The one most relevant to our scripture today is the second. The Kingdom of God is in-dwelling; the idealistic or mystical dimension, in which the Kingdom is understood as being present in the heart (i.e., the inner person) of the believer. This is not a new understanding. Origen, who first developed this view theologically, remarked that those who pray the Our Father "pray for the coming of the Kingdom which is already present in themselves." He added, "In every holy person it is God who reigns."
So we now come to the point of the Gospel from John. Our first thought might have been: “What the heck is Jesus doing?” We get a clear view of Jesus “zeal for his Father’s house” being expressed in an almost uncharacteristic aggressive actions. What does he say is his purpose in taking this action? He says: “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace.”
Let’s be clear, Jesus has seen these money-changers and sellers of animals for sacrifice since he was a boy. Jesus came into the Temple of Jerusalem having considered what was keeping people from walking into a house of prayer and worship.
According to St. Mark’s Gospel, he had been there the day before and because it was late, had left. After reflecting that night with his disciples, as he must have done, he came back the following day and shut the temple down. That is certainly what he did when he threw out the money changers and sellers of sacrificial animals. He was exercising his authority as the Son of God, the Messiah, to transform his Father’s house from a shopping mall back into a house of prayer, a holy space where God’s spirit might greet the people and grow in their hearts – the temple within.
By that logic, as we examine ourselves spiritually, we are now looking at the temple within ourselves. What do we see there? Are we seeing the greed that Jesus saw in the temple? Do we see covetousness, hatred, envy. We heard the Ten Commandments in the first reading. We can go through them like a check list to see what still is hiding in the corners of our in-dwelling Kingdom of God.
And what do we do when we find something? There we have some resources. We can make a conscious decision to rid ourselves of the burdens. We can get to the Sacrament of Reconciliation or perhaps reconcile with a friend, family member or loved one. We can look at this temple-cleansing as a process of clearing the way for our spirit to come closer to God.
This is the season for this difficult work, making us better people, better disciples of the Lord, able to take his message to others by our words and actions. This was the Lord’s own motive in cleansing the physical temple in Jerusalem, making it possible for the Holy Spirit to work within all the people.
We have three more weeks to the joy of Easter. Let us follow the Lord’s example and with vigor, cleanse the Kingdom of God dwelling within our hearts.
Pax
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Third Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA)
Catechism Links[1]
CCC 1214-1216, 1226-1228: Baptism, rebirth of water and Spirit
CCC 727-729: Jesus reveals the Holy Spirit
CCC 694, 733-736, 1215, 1999, 2652: The Holy Spirit, the living water, a gift of God
CCC 604, 733, 1820, 1825, 1992, 2658: God takes the initiative; hope from the Spirit
CCC 727-729: Jesus reveals the Holy Spirit
CCC 694, 733-736, 1215, 1999, 2652: The Holy Spirit, the living water, a gift of God
CCC 604, 733, 1820, 1825, 1992, 2658: God takes the initiative; hope from the Spirit
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| “The Samaritan Woman at the Well” by Agostino Carracci, 1595 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Exodus 17:3-7
Commentary on Ex 17:3-7
This passage continues the journey of the Hebrews in the desert following their departure from Egypt. They have already been fed by manna in the wilderness. 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, revealing a spring of water. The place was later named Massah and Meribah: Hebrew words meaning respectively: "the (place of the) test" and "the (place of the) quarreling."
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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 thanksgiving. In these strophes the incident at Meribah is remembered (Exodus 17:3-7), and God’s undeserved mercy proclaimed. The community is rejoicing that the Lord is God and that he has brought us salvation in spite of our forebears' obstinacy. We are encouraged to listen to the Lord, even if what we are asked to do is difficult.
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Reading II: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
Commentary on Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
In the previous chapter, St. Paul has established that through faith in Jesus Christ, the Christian is justified (recreated just as if they had not sinned). The apostle now begins a discussion of how this justification is experienced. The reconciled Christian will be saved, sharing with hope in the risen Christ.
"The justified are endowed with theological virtues. By faith, they live in peace with God and have access to his grace; in hope, they long for the glory of God that awaits them; and in love, they show that the charity of the Spirit dwells in their hearts (CCC 1813). Equipped in this way, believers can become more like Christ through endurance and suffering (CCC 618)."[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.”[9]
CCC: Rom 5:3-5 2734, 2847; Rom 5:5 368, 733, 1820, 1964, 2658; Rom 5:8 604
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Gospel: John 4:5-42
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.
Often what we hear in Sacred Scripture seems to have only one purpose when in fact there is more. We note that the location of this event is set at “Jacob’s Well”. It is a clear reference to Genesis 33:19-20, a place where Jacob “… set up an altar there and invoked “El, the God of Israel.”
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).
There is further symbolism, culturally focused, in Jesus' revelation to the woman. When he tells her she has been married 5 times it is a likely reference to the 5 images of Baal worshiped by the Samaritans. Women who practiced that religion were ritually married to the 5 idols.
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."
CCC: Jn 4:6-7 544; Jn 4:10-14 694, 1137; Jn 4:10 728, 2560, 2561; Jn 4:14 728, 1999, 2557, 2652; Jn 4:21 586; Jn 4:22 528, 586; Jn 4:23-24 586, 728; Jn 4:24 1179; Jn 4:25-26 439; Jn 4:34 606, 2611, 2824
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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. Also omitted is 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.
CCC: Jn 4:6-7 544; Jn 4:10-14 694, 1137; Jn 4:21 586; Jn 4:22 528, 586; Jn 4:23-24 586, 728; Jn 4:24 1179; Jn 4:25-26 439;
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Homily:
The First Scrutiny
Any teachers present are sure to recognize a teaching device employed by the Church at this Mass in particular. In fact, this is a special day for those among us who are traveling their path to the Easter Sacraments – the Elect. We will, for the next three Sundays, be celebrating the “Scrutinies” with them. This part of their journey of faith could be somewhat frightening if we take the words that describe the process at face value. If we look in the dictionary at the two words “Scrutiny” and “Exorcism” – the two elements of the rite that will follow these homiletic remarks, we might be concerned about what is really going on.
Scrutiny is defined as:
1. a searching examination or investigation; minute inquiry.
2. surveillance; close and continuous watching or guarding.
3. a close and searching look.
Exorcism: (trying to ignore the images that may have been planted by the movie)
1. to seek to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration or religious or solemn ceremonies: to exorcise a demon.
2. to free (a person, place, etc.) of evil spirits or malignant influences.
Used to describe this rite one might think that the Elect would be subjected to our close examination – interrogation comes to mind. When we couple it with exorcism, one might expect that we would be wheeling out medieval mechanisms of torture once used in the Inquisition. If the leaders of the RCIA process have not already done so, we assure the Elect that they need not run for the doors. No such process is envisioned or planned.
In fact, if the Gospel has been proclaimed effectively, the process of scrutiny and exorcism has already begun. It has begun because each of the Elect will have heard the story of the Samaritan Woman and recognized her as symbolic of their own former status – as people who may have sought the grace of God, but had never achieved that goal. They will have already seen in the woman, described in the Gospel as skeptical and resistant to Jesus, elements of their own past. They will have begun to examine their own path to see how it draws them closer to the Lord, just as the woman at the well was drawn.
In just a few minutes Father will pray over these fellow travelers, who walk the journey of faith with us. He will invite us to join him in asking for God’s grace to be heaped upon them as they scrutinize themselves, seeing the places where change still needs to come.
The RCIA process says of this rite: “The purpose of each of the scrutinies is “to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect” and “to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good” This action is not for us to do for the elect, it is an opportunity for them to reach out to the Lord, with all of us supporting them, asking God to help them in this healing process, this strengthening process.
Like the woman at the well, these Elect are invited to turn away from their past transgressions and accept the “living water” only Jesus can give. In doing so, in filling themselves with the grace and peace of Christ, the evil one is driven out. When one fills a vessel with light, there can be no darkness. Again we hear from the RCIA process: “For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ.” This indeed is the self-imposed exorcism described in the rite. Again, with Father’s prayer and our support, our brothers and sisters are strengthened for the long journey we all undertake when we choose to follow Christ.
While we have spoken at length about the process that will follow shortly involving the Elect, there has been little mention of the role each member of our faith community is invited to play. Each of us has a responsibility to help these hope-filled aspirants to our community. Like god-parents we are called upon to help and support them. We are called to show them what it means to walk as mature Christians in a world that does not rejoice in their faith or agree with their moral imperatives.
I mentioned at the beginning that there was a teaching mechanism at work that professionals in that field would recognize. Indeed, when we encourage a student to teach other students, those doing the teaching often learn more than the students they teach. Such is the case today. If we each take the opportunity to show these Elect, through our words and actions, the meaning of living in Christ’s grace, they will certainly learn – and we, the teachers will learn more since through that same grace we draw closer to our Lord and Savior.
Pax
In other years on this date: Optional Memorial for Saint Casmir
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014
[2] The picture used is “Christ Driving the Money Changers Out of the Temple
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on Exodus 20:1-17, §48
[6] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968 on 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, §22
[7] The picture today is “The Samaritan Woman at the Well” by Agostino Carracci, 1595
[8] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp. 263
[9] See NAB footnote on Romans 5:1-11
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