Prayer

Celebrating the Word of God

A Reading from the Gospel of John 2:13-25

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 

He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 

The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 

But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and need no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

The Gospel of the Lord 

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ 

Spiritual Reflection

John tells us that Jesus intended something else: that he was referring to his own body. 

We can perhaps imagine Jesus pointing at himself as he says ‘Destroy this temple’. The actual sign Jesus promised was his resurrection from the dead. The disciples only realised all of this after Jesus was raised from the dead. 

This is the point when so many things came together for them about Jesus and his mission. 

Concluding Prayer

Loving God, 

Loving Creator, as we reflect on John’s words, we need to stand up when we see things are wrong.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

We make this prayer through Christ, Our Lord 

Amen