Lent

Jan 29 2025

Jesus as Action Hero

As a boy, I loved this Gospel story. Suddenly Jesus was a superhero. Watch out, Clark Kent! Gentle Jesus is now revealed as Super-J! Red with rage, one strong arm cracking that whip while the other overturns the tables. Sheep and oxen scattering, doves heading for the highest columns of the temple, coins spilling down the steps, some merchants cowering, others heading out the gate. Kapow! Kazaam!

Age has brought me a more refined understanding of this scene. Recorded in all four Gospels, John places it closer to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, rather than during his last days. Some see it as the act of a prophet enraged at the commercialization of the house of the Lord; others as a sign of the coming of the messianic age when anything inappropriate to the true nature of the temple as a place for encountering God will be purged and purified.

For our reflection during Lent, we might take it as a wake-up call to all the compromises we have settled for in our lives that are unworthy of our being the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, made so by baptism. In light of the first reading reminding us of God’s covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai, we too are called to live lives that honor God as our only God and to live with all others in a just and loving manner. We do this when we proclaim Christ crucified in our own bodies by living for others.

Consider/Discuss

How do you react to this portrayal of Jesus cleansing the temple?
How do you relate this action to the final words today about Jesus not trusting himself to those who were beginning to believe in his name because he “understood human nature well”?

Responding to the Word

Lord Jesus, you call us to live as children of the Father, offering our very lives as a spiritual sacrifice. We do this when we replace our selfish desires with a will ingness to listen to the cries of the poor. Continue to shape us into your dwelling place in our world.

Jan 29 2025

Scripture Study for

The Ten Commandments are considered the foundation of Israelite law. They include the basic conditions for covenant membership. They begin with a self proclamation by the God who has already acted on behalf of the people. The stipulations are absolute and applicable in any situation; sanctions for violation of them are severe. These commandments were really meant to be observed by all. Basically, they provided a sketch of the God with whom the people were in covenant, and they outlined how these covenanted people were to revere their God and live with each other.

In the short reading from First Corinthians, Paul accomplishes several things. He argues that neither the signs and wonders cherished by the Jews nor the philosophy acclaimed by the Greeks is an adequate standard for evaluation. He insists that the crucified Christ is the standard against which everything is judged. The customary wisdom of these two cultures would reject a crucified Christ. However, God’s ways frequently reverse human standards. Paul insists that the ridiculed and despised Christ is actually the wisdom of God. What the Jews and the Greeks rejected as foolishness was indeed authentic wisdom, and what they cherished as wisdom was really misguided folly.

Jesus’ actions in the temple are acted-out prophecy and his words are prophetic proclamation. He accuses the merchants of making the temple a market place. But a part of it was a marketplace. The explanation of his behavior is found both in an allusion to a passage from the prophet Zechariah (14:21), who said that at the endtime there would be no need for merchants in the house of the Lord, and in a psalm text that states that zeal for God’s house makes the psalmist vulnerable to the scorn and abuse of others (Psalm 69:9). By driving the merchants out of the temple precincts, Jesus announces the approach of the time of fulfillment. By identifying God as his Father, Jesus affirms his right to make such a claim and to act in accord with it.

Jan 29 2025

Seeing in the Dark

Two of today’s readings take us up a mountain. Mountains are sacred places in the scriptures. Moses meets the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob on Mt. Sinai. Elijah has an experience of this same life-giving God on Mt. Horeb. Today Abraham goes up Mt. Moriah in obedience to God’s command to “take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love” (Genesis 22:2) and offer him there as a holocaust.

It is hard to get past this reading today and focus only on the story of the Transfiguration. This story of God testing Abraham to see if Abraham will obey is a story of great anguish. “See” is an important word here: Moriah means “the place of seeing.” Abraham responds to Isaac’s question about a victim, saying God will provide, a word rooted in the Latin word for seeing. God will see to it that there is a victim, just as God will see that Abraham is obedient in all things.

Seeing also takes place on Mt. Tabor. Peter, James, and John see Jesus in glory, his clothes dazzlingly white; they see him speaking with Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets; and they see a cloud overshadowing them, and hear a voice calling for their obedience: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7).

With them, we are invited to see Jesus as the beloved Son whom the Father “did not spare . . . but handed over for us all,” as Paul reminds us (Romans 8:32). The mystery of the Cross and Resurrection is an invitation to see God’s love for all God’s beloved children and trust in it.

Consider/Discuss

How is there continuity between the God described in Genesis and God in today’s Gospel?
Have you had any glimpse of the glory that awaits those faithful to God?

Responding to the Word

God of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekah, of Jacob and Rachel, God and Father of our Lord, give us a glimpse of the glory that you have prepared for all who trust in you and remain faithful to you. Strengthen us to walk through any darkness that may threaten our ability to believe.

Jan 29 2025

Scripture Study for

The story known as “The Sacrifice of Isaac” might be better called “The Testing of Abraham.” The story itself states; “God put Abraham to the test.” Furthermore, Isaac is never really sacrificed. Abraham, the “father of a multitude” (see Genesis 7:15), is being put to the test. From a human point of view, Abraham’s response to God’s demand is terrifying, yet demonstrates his unquestioned obedience. Abraham relinquishes his natural claim on the child of promise, and he is blessed with a promise of more children than he can count. God is not outdone in generosity.

Paul wonders who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones, who will condemn them, and who will justify them. He identifies God as this judge. Paul argues that if the sovereign God is on our side, then regardless of what can be mustered against us, it is nothing in comparison to God’s power. If God is willing to sacrifice a beloved Son for our sake, it is impossible that God would deny us whatever other trivial things we might need. Finally, if Jesus has willingly died for us, he would certainly not turn around and condemn us. Besides, he is now interceding for us.

The transfiguration of Jesus knits together traditions of Israel’s past, insights into Jesus’ own identity, and a glimpse into eschatological fulfillment. Moses and Elijah represent the basis of Israel’s tradition, the law and the prophets respectively. Furthermore, both prefigure the prophetic dimension of the messianic era. The voice from the cloud identifies Jesus as the beloved Son, reminiscent of Isaac, who was also a beloved son. The connection with Isaac and Jesus suggests that the voice is referring to Jesus’ teaching about his death. It may be that the Transfiguration was intended to prepare the inner circle of disciples for Jesus’ unthinkable suffering and death in order to strengthen them in advance.

Jan 29 2025

Lent and Beginning Anew

A snapshot differs from a TV show or movie, which moves along, demanding that we keep up with the storyline. A snapshot allows us to focus on details, to take as much time as we want. Snapshots allow us to pause, ponder, and meditate. There is no need to rush on to what comes next.

Mark’s Gospel opens with a series of snapshots of Jesus, whom Mark proclaims from the start as “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1:1). First, he offers a picture of Jesus’ baptism when God’s voice proclaims, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (1:11). Then, the two pictures presented today: Jesus driven into the desert for forty days to be tested by Satan, and Jesus beginning a new ministry of preaching the gospel.

These snapshots begin the work of drawing us into the mystery of the one proclaimed as the Promised One long awaited, but even more, the one who is the Son of God. In him God’s reign comes to us.

Lent is a time for deciding where our loyalty lies in life. To whom or what do we give our allegiance? At the end of the forty days we renew our baptismal promises. We will be called to profess our faith in God who created us and our world out of love, in the Son who died for us and was raised to new life, and in the Spirit who now drives us to confront the power of evil in our world.

Consider/Discuss

How can this Lent be a time to begin anew? What concrete steps can you take to stop and ponder the shape of your life?
How does identifying yourself as being a beloved son or daughter of God influence your daily decisions?

Responding to the Word

Loving God, you have spoken to us at our baptism, calling us beloved children, sending your Spirit upon us, making us heirs of the kingdom of God. Help us to be open to your Spirit this Lent and where it leads. Make us content to rest in stillness and hear your voice.