In the first reading we heard the Ten Commandments, which are so important for us. It's a reminder of the fact that our Christian faith grew out of the Jewish faith and they are not in contradiction, at least not in the deepest sense. There are certainly some things that are new and there are some changes (we do get to eat pork), but at the core they are still the same. We do well to look at these 10 Commandments during the season of Lent.
GK Chesterton used a very helpful image describing the commandments and the laws of the church as a fence around a beautiful amazing playground full of life and happiness - that is the life of the church, the life of faith. But on the other side of that fence is a dangerous precipice, a cliff that leads to perdition to destruction. The point is that the Commandments are not meant to restrict us but to protect us from destruction. God is giving us the law in the OT for a reason that remains until heaven, and so its fulfillment in Christ doesn't abrogate the past laws and throw them out. The Church gives us all of these and we have them so that we can play on the playground of this beautiful life that we have in this world.
They're always trying to give us joy by pointing out for us the potholes of human living. If you're driving thesis time of year without watching the road, your car will be messed up pretty bad. If you live life without paying attention to those potential spiritual potholes, your soul will be really beat up.
The ten commandments are often rejections (but not all of them). These rejections of various things are mysteriously already written in our hearts and speak to us in our consciences (we know to do good avoid evil). These rejections are a way that God is trying to invite us to a deeper yes. As Jesus cleanses the temple today, the most scandalous action and probably the thing that most caused so many of the Jewish religious leaders to seek his crucifixion, b/c no because He is saying no no no but rather because there's a yes - yes first and foremost, as He says this is my fathers house. This is the deeper yes. The relationship. That is why he does what he does today.
There is always a deeper yes behind the no's.
This can be done with all the teachings of the Church.
So when we examine all the laws about life saying no to euthanasia and abortion, the laws about chastity saying no to contraception and other issues, even why we say no to meat on Fridays of Lent (except in a couple weeks for St. Joseph’s solemnity!) and see the deeper yes then we will
mission statement (Jn 10:10) abundant life.
Not “90% of life where we miss a lot of good stuff.”
The only things He denies of us are the things that destroy us. He wants you keep you on this side of the cliff. And he will fight for you as he did today.
If we can remember that, then Commandments are not burdensome, but lessons, gifts - because GOd is setting us free, or keeping us free. Abundant Life.
Jesus describes His body as a temple today. His is the new place of worship. In Him we meet the Father.
1. We are also a temple.
2. We are the body of Christ, united with each other in Jesus.
When we sin, we affect both our personal temple, and the corporate temple of Jesus.
Every sin has ripple effects we heard about in the first reading, where God says sins will affect generations. Our sins do not only mess up ourselves, but all of us.
Confession is given for us o heal both of these. In Him we are healed in our hearts and souls to we can restore what we have list.
But also the whole body of Christ is cleansed in the sacrament of Jesus.
Reminds me of seminary, cleaning bathrooms with T$.
We keep our parts clean and the whole space is clean. Everyone had a responsibility. 1 - their own room. 2 - the whole building.
Confession is one way we do that work of cleansing here and now, and not
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to see the commandments not as burdens, but as a yes to the abundant life that is offered us.
May Jesus come into our hearts and purify them more and more so that we can truly be a house of prayer that gives worship to God alone.
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