Today is the Third Sunday of Lent, the season of the Church’s year when we prepare for the events of Holy Week and Good Friday. It is a season of reflection and penitence. Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to call to mind how Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem as part of his preparation for the new order that he was bringing into being.
The narrative of Jesus cleansing the temple occurs in all four Gospels. The story is treated very differently by John. While the other three Gospels place the story after the Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week, John places the story at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The key image for John is that Jesus not only cleanses the temple but replaces it. Just as the temple was the meeting place between God and the people of God in the old order, so, after the resurrection, Jesus is that meeting place in the new order.
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited you to reflect on the image of spring cleaning. In today’s picture from his book The Grumpy Day, Teddy Horsley is getting ready to help with the spring cleaning at home. He likes using the vacuum cleaner.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you cleansed the temple in Jerusalem.
Sweep away from our lives all that offends you,
that we may be temples to your praise and glory;
now and for ever.
Amen.
Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, focuses our attention on the theme of night and darkness that plays such an important part in John’s Gospel. The image to help prepare for next Sunday is darkness. You can find out more about that theme by looking at the Educational Resources and the Preparation Resources.
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