Third Sunday in Lent- March 3, 2024
Theme: “Go and Proclaim: Let Jesus Cleanse our Hearts”
First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:1-2;7-8;13
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Gospel Reading: John 2:13-22
Homily by Fr. Romie-Jun Peñalosa
GO AND PROCLAIM: LET JESUS CLEANSES AND REIGNS IN OUR HEART
(A RECAPITULATION BASED ON THE HOMILY OF +FR. ROMIE-JUN PEÑALOSA)
“If you want to go far, accomplish more, become successful in life, go back to the basics.”
Oftentimes, we think we are already walking on the right path. But when we try to look back, we will discover that we passed through a crooked road. This is true for all of us. And the Lenten season allows us to pause for a while to check and evaluate ourselves, especially our spiritual life. To ask the question – “Where are we in our life now?”
In our gospel today, Jesus shows us His other side. We often know Him as meek, kind, and humble. But in the gospel, we see anger. The scene of a market in the temple made Him angry because people no longer cared to worship God wholly and instead cared more about their earnings and businesses. Understand that God is not against us doing business but we should not forget that He is the One who gave that to us. Many things in our life start right, but as time passes by our hearts become greedy and things slowly start to crumble down.
When we come to Him, we should be prepared and give our all to Him alone. The problem with many of us is when God gives us something, we tend to love the benefits more and forget Him. We should never love the benefits of God more than God. God is not against the things that we value, but He is jealous when it becomes our obsession. Therefore, guard your heart so that it would not love things more than God; for anything you love equally with God is idolatry.
The cleansing of Jesus in the temple is a reminder for people to go back to the basics of life. In this time of Lent, let us allow God to search and cleanse our hearts, for He is the gravity that pulls you toward God and helps you make Him the center of your life. We all have something we value in life, but Jesus teaches us today to give God supreme value. He should be the utmost priority in our life. We have been so attached to the benefits that God gives us, but He wants us to go back today to the basics of life – prayer, fasting, sharing/giving. These will allow us to put our lives in order, physically, morally, and spiritually.
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