Third Sunday
of Lent – Year B
It’s common to think of Jesus as a gentle and peace-loving
man, but in today’s gospel we also see a different side of him. We see him make
a whip out of cords, over-turn tables throwing coins everywhere, and attempting
to drive evil-doers out of the temple area. Surely many were shocked by what
they saw and witnessed…. but was there a point to his actions?
Do you think the merchants in the temple area thought of
themselves as “evil-doers”? Probably not! Do you think there were always
merchants in the temple area? No, probably not. I would assume that one day a man set-up shop, and
entrepreneur, and then another, then another, and overtime a large market
developed. There might have been some initial dissatisfaction over the selling
of goods in the temple area, but overtime the gradual process of adding more
and more merchants probably went unnoticed and after a few years it not only
became normal but was expected.
Can you begin to see some similarity between this example and
what has happened in our society? Just the other day I was visiting with a man
who described a recent event that left him troubled. He told me that more than
10 years ago he removed the television from his home because he and his wife
were fearful of what was being shown, fearful of the influential power of TV, and
fearful of how it could negatively affect them and their children. He stated
that since that time, 10 years ago, he hadn’t really seen much Television.
He then informed me that he had recently returned from a
family visit in which he watched a variety of TV shows with his relatives. He
reported that he was shocked at what appeared to be in almost every show:
varying levels of nudeness, pre-marital sex, same sex relationships, affairs,
and ramped immorality. And what bothered
him the most was that his relatives, who he believed were good Catholics, who
attended mass every week, who adhered to all the catholic rules, and who also saw
nothing wrong with the content of the shows.
He stated that in response to his relative’s apparent
non-reaction, He initially questioned himself? Is Pre-Marital sex ok? Is looking at Naked and Half-Naked
people ok? Is having an Affair ok?
Then he stated that he snapped out of it, recalling that all
those behaviors were not only wrong, but actually sinful…. and that they ultimately
separated people from God. He realized that his relatives had become “Desensitized”!
Might I ask, How many of us have also been
desensitized through a gradual process, and now find little to no objection to
what is so prevalent in society?
If Jesus were here today, do you think he would find our
current culture Acceptable? Holy? And Just? I don’t think so, at least not much
of it. As we begin to look at the world around us through Christ’s eyes, we
begin to see a much different world. We can begin to see how certain behaviors
and attitudes have evolved and have led many away from God and his ways.
Yet, it is more than just being desensitized that has caused
this problem, we are still missing something important. I recall a story of a
priest who was coming back to his parish house one evening in the dark only to
be accosted by a robber who pulled a gun at him and demanded, “Your money or
your life!” As the priest reached his
hand into his coat pocket the robber saw his Roman collar and said, “You’re a
priest? You can go.” The priest was
rather surprised at this unexpected show of piety and so tried to reciprocate by
offering the robber his pack of cigarettes, to which the robber replied, “No,
Father, I don’t smoke during Lent.” On
the surface this sounds like a funny joke, but can you see how this robber is
trying to keep the pious observance of not smoking during Lent while forgetting
the more fundamental commandment of God, “Thou shalt not steal.” He is acting
but not understanding the why of the action.
Maybe we are doing the same in our own lives, at least on
some level.
Recently Pope Francis said that we are to ensure that on
Fridays we aren’t avoiding meat to only feast and gorge ourselves on seafood. If
so, what sacrifice would that be?
Our actions and behaviors as Catholics are to have a deeper
meaning, and it is that meaning that is always more important than the action. Our
lives are to have that deeper meaning also, the meaning that originates our
actions, and that meaning that sustains us through difficult times, trying
times, and through temptations.
As Catholics we should know the meaning of life, our unique
meaning. Is it clear what that meaning is in
your life? Is that meaning actually the thing
that directs your actions, or are your actions just something you do, a pious
gesture? These are good and important questions that we need to ask of
ourselves.
This time of Lent is a time to slow down, quiet down, and to seriously
reflect upon our lives and upon our true meaning and purpose here on earth. It is a time to identify our shortcomings, our inequities, to
repent, to turn away from sin, to reunite ourselves to Christ, and to prepare
ourselves in a special and meaningful way for the coming of Lord and Savior.
Take some time today and prayerfully ask God to open your
hearts and minds, to allow you the ability to see where change is needed, and for
God to help you in humble way to understand your true meaning in life.
Praise be Jesus Christ, Now and
Forever.
Amen!
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