Getting into Jesus' "Nerves"

    

Third Sunday of Lent

03 March 2024

 

First Reading: Ex 20:1-17

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:22-25

Gospel: Jn 2:13-25

 

Reflection

By: Gharri Tulabut

 

In some of my lectures in management, whenever we talk about cheating in business, I usually vent, rant, or even lament asking the question, “why is it better for others to cheat on a first time customer, than to build the trust of a potential 'suki'?"

Example: cheating with the net weight of a sale of meat products; cheating on expiration dates, ingredients, and many other fake claims about the products they're selling; or just not telling everything a customer must know.

Because I’m sure that when these customers learn that they’ve been cheated on or have been had, they are not going to make a repeat purchase. Just a one time deal.

Today in the Gospel, Jesus was furious of traders in the Temple vicinity, driving them away.

When I was younger, I thought that God just didn’t like turning the house of worship into a market place. Though I still believe that’s true, but listening to homilies and talk about that incident, I’ve learned that there was a deeper root to it. That Jesus was concerned about the corrupt temple officials during that time, rejecting the people’s offerings, and forcing them to buy “unblemished” animals at a higher price. These people cheated upon are usually poor and those who have no voice in society. If you want to get in Jesus “nerves?”, abuse His favorites—the least, the last, and the lost.

Yet another important significance of our Gospel reading is Jesus' declaration of his passion, death, and resurrection which we are commemorating in this Lenten season.

Prayer

Father, make our motives pure that in everything we do, we bring glory to You, Amen.