Spiritual Sacrifice: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday of Lent
Readings:
Exodus 20:1–17
Psalm 19:8–11
1 Corinthians 1:22–25
John 2:13–25
Jesus does not come to destroy the temple, but to fulfill it (see Matthew 5:17)—to reveal its true purpose in God’s saving plan.
He is the Lord the prophets said would come—to purify the temple, banish the merchants, and make it a house of prayer for all peoples (see Zechariah 14:21; Malachi 3:1–5; Isaiah 56:7).
The God who made the heavens and the earth, who brought Israel out of slavery, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands (see Acts 7:48; 2 Samuel 7:5).
Nor does He need offerings of oxen, sheep, or doves (see Psalm 50:7–13).
Notice in today’s First Reading that God did not originally command animal sacrifices—only that Israel heed His commandments (see Jeremiah 7:21–23; Amos 5:25).
His law was a gift of divine wisdom, as we sing in today’s Psalm. It was a law of love (see Matthew 22:36–40), perfectly expressed in Christ’s self-offering on the Cross (see John 15:13).
This is the “sign” Jesus offers in the Gospel today—the sign that caused Jewish leaders to stumble, as Paul tells us in the Epistle.
Jesus’ body—destroyed on the Cross and raised up three days later—is the new and true sanctuary. From the temple of His body, rivers of living water flow, the Spirit of grace that makes each of us a temple (see 1 Corinthians 3:16) and together builds us into a dwelling place of God (see Ephesians 2:22).
In the Eucharist we participate in His offering of His body and blood. This is the worship in Spirit and in truth that the Father desires (see John 4:23–24).
We are to offer praise as our sacrifice (see Psalm 50:14, 23). This means imitating Christ—offering our bodies—all our intentions and actions in every circumstance, for the love of God and the love of others (see Hebrews 10:5–7; Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5).
We have often dwelled on how important it is to enter into deep relationship with the Lord our God? But what does relationship in itself mean for us?
Relationship by definition means being connected or associated in some way whether by blood, marriage or kinship. Romantically, sexually involved or simply sharing an emotional connection through feelings and a strong sense of belonging. But can we continue to have strong relationships which grows ever stronger in the absence of love and mercy? Without love and mercy there is No relationship!
What about us Christians? We are grafted unto the vine, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and share an eternal bond with Him and a fraternal bond with one another by virtue of our Baptism. We are one Body in Him but are we then living this truth? In today’s responsorial psalm our united response is ‘The Lord is compassion and Love’ and we know this to be true. He is indeed slow to anger, rich in abounding steadfast love. This is how our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us; can we then love any of His children, our sisters and brothers any less? How then do we reflect our Heavenly Father’s love and mercy in our daily dealings with one another?
For just as we had strayed from Him on many occasions and had become prodigal sons and daughters; who yearned for our Heavenly Father’s embrace which He never ever withholds from us. We too must readily embrace those who have hurt us and strayed far from us whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. Amen
First reading
Micah 7:14-15,18-20 ·
Have pity on us one more time
With shepherd’s crook, O Lord, lead your people to pasture,
the flock that is your heritage, living confined in a forest with meadow land all around.
Let them pasture in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.
As in the days when you came out of Egypt grant us to see wonders.
What god can compare with you: taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger for ever but delighting in showing mercy?
Once more have pity on us, tread down our faults, to the bottom of the sea throw all our sins.
Grant Jacob your faithfulness, and Abraham your mercy, as you swore to our fathers from the days of long ago.
Gospel
Luke 15:1-3,11-32
The prodigal son
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’
CatholicJules.net 