God’s Dwelling Place

Sunday of the Third Week of Lent

In today’s Gospel Jesus drives out the money changers. These were the people who considered Roman money “unclean” and changed it into Jewish currency often at 20 times the market rate. Jesus is angry at the injustice of vendors who cooperated with the temple inspectors in rejecting “imperfect” animals brought from outside the temple.

The temple is also metaphorically Jesus’ very self. In his flesh Jesus was God’s dwelling place. Just as Jesus made real in his flesh the presence of God, we make real in our own bodies the presence of God in our world today. As such we need to focus on the great commandments: love God and love neighbor. Is there anything I need to “drive out” to give better witness to God in my relationships and life circumstances?