3rd Lent - B

I. Intro – “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life”

A. We proclaimed this as our responsorial psalm

1. Not just words of counsel, encouragement, or recommendations COM

2. Not to prohibit our enjoyment to give life! Eternal life

3. Ancient Jew understood the Torah not as rules, but life-giving words

B. Decalogue (means “10 words”) of God to His people on how to live

1. Preamble hints at its purpose, “I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.”

2. Not to restrict your freedom to keep you free to live fully

3. No expiration date still words of eternal life

II. Temple is a very important place to an ancient Israelite

A. Three reasons

1. God abides His footstool on earth Ark of Manna and Torah

2. Where God’s word of everlasting life is broken open

3. Where sacrifice is offered

B. Jesus, Word of God, the Bread of life comes to the temple

1. In whom the HS and Father abide in fullness

2. Who will become the final, sufficient sacrifice to end all other sacrifices

C. State of the Temple

1. Greedy micro economy based on requirements of “the Law” for sacrifice

2. Only “Temple coins” pagan coins exchanged at a premium

3. Jesus responds violently greed overshadows the holiness of place

III. On cue, Pharisees “What sign can you show us for doing this?”

A. St. Paul would not be surprised by this response

1. “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified,”

2. Jesus offers only Himself as a Sign, the Sign of the Cross

3. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

4. The Jews stumble over it

a) Looking for stupendous miracles, power to overcome Romans

b) Victory over enemies not defeat by hanging on a tree

c) Suffering & dying Messiah incomprehensible

B. Jesus points to his sacrifice in the His Paschal Mystery

1. To the Gentile, exchange of good life for many evil – foolishness

2. Look only for logical, intellectually verifiable wisdom – NOT MYSTERY

C. St. Paul says and Jesus proclaims only “a Christ crucified”

1. This is the focus of our Lenten sojourn the PM of PX

2. God’s strength looks like weakness to humans

3. God’s wisdom appears to be nonsense to the intelligentsia

D. Jesus gives only Himself as a sign (miracle)

1. Works both ways rejected and leads to Christ’s death

2. Accepted and leads to faith and eternal life (still to His death)

IV. Approaching midpoint of this Lenten Season Scriptures remind us:

A. We too are temples of the HS

1. By virtue of our Baptism into Christ’s death and Resurrection

2. With that a hope of our own resurrection

B. We are disciples of this Crucified Christ

1. Folly to the learned & impasse to those who cling to their notions of God

2. Bishop Perez’s answer to being hopeful “I’ve staked my life on a man rose from the dead after being crucified. I have to be hopeful!”

C. We are participants & beneficiaries of Christ’s sacrifice

1. Made present and real in each Mass

D. We are called to join our sacrifices, planned our unplanned

1. To those of Christ’s Only way to give them meaning

2. To better prepare for the celebration of Resurrection

E. This is God’s word to us today

1. Let us receive it for what it is: “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life”