.

Things to talk about:

• Why was Jesus angry about what was happening at the Temple?
• What are some of the “tables” or things that block your connection with God?.

Things to do:

• In the time of Jesus, the temple was the most important of Jewish buildings because God was present there in a special way. Today, Jesus is present in a special way in the Eucharist, which is reserved in the tabernacle. Find the tabernacle in our church.
• This Gospel invites us to reflect on the quality of our worship and prayer at home. If you haven’t already, create and decorate a prayer space in your home that is dedicated to prayer and worship of God. Invite family members to use this space throughout the week and beyond. If someone walked in your home, would they know you were Catholic? Decorate the prayer space with a purple cloth for Lent, the Bible, battery operated candle, crucifix and paper to record prayer intentions.
• This month’s prayer is The Rosary, to remember the important events in Jesus’ life. Gather as a family to pray the rosary, even if it’s just one decade/mystery. Read more about the Rosary….

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Righteous Anger

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shows anger over abuses in the temple. As followers of Christ, it is appropriate for us too to get angry over sin. Evils such as abuse, racism, pornography, etc. should incense us. This prayer will help to transform righteous anger into peace.

God of righteous anger and holy healing, We pray for our world and for people who have been hurt by members of the Church. We ask for accountability, change and healing.

God of Peace, We pray for our world where war has become a way of life. We pray for reconciliation and your peace that surpasses all understanding.

God of Creation, We pray for our world. For ocean and mountain, hill and vale, forest and meadow and for all the creatures with which we share this beautiful creation.

We pray for wisdom that we may be faithful and humble stewards of this beautiful planet.

God of Love, We pray for our hearts, And all that we hold dear, Family and friends, Work and rest and play.

We pray for joy and compassion that we may live and share your love.

Amen.

Adapted from: https://worshipwords.co.uk/god-of-righteous-anger-a-prayer-thandiwe-dale-ferguson-usa/

Catholic Insights

This Gospel portrays Jesus as angry which is somewhat surprising. He turns everything upside down! Jesus is so passionate and devoted to the Father, and his mission was to bring people to a relationship with his Father.

The Temple was huge, maybe the size of 25 football fields. You could get in a lot of “steps” going to the Temple. In Jesus’ time, all men over 19 yrs old had to pay a tax to go into the Temple. If you didn’t have the correct amount, you had to exchange it with the money changers. Tradition also dictated that you had to bring an animal for sacrifice and usually purchased it from one of the sellers in the Temple. It was almost stressful to enter the temple and did not create a prayerful and peaceful experience.

Jesus then speaks about destroying the Temple and raising it back up in three days. The people who heard this were even more surprised, they couldn’t know that he was talking about himself—his passion, death and resurrection.

Jesus shows us with his actions and words that he has come to get rid of everything that keeps people from God, like temple taxes and buying and selling sacrifices. He is “turning the tables” to reveal a new world, a world that reveals the presence of God among us.

Did you know? …the Temple Jesus visited was the Second Temple? The First Temple was built  under King Solomon. The Second was under King Herod, destroyed in AD70. All that remains is a portion of the Western Wall, also known as the Waling Wall.

Resources adapted from 52Sundays.com, Celebrating the Lectionary, At Home with the Word, Celebrating Families, Sunday Connection