Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 4, 2018
First Reading: Exodus 20.1-3, 7-8, 12-17
1And God spoke all these words:2"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.3"You shall have no other gods before me.7"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.8"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.12"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.13"You shall not murder.14"You shall not commit adultery.15"You shall not steal.16"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.17"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Psalm 19
1The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.2Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.3There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.4Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,5which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.6It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.8The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.9The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.10They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.11By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.12Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.13Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1.18, 22-25
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
Gospel: John 2.13-25
13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"21But the temple he had spoken of was his body.22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.23Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.25He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through key moments of God's revelation and the fulfillment of His plan. The first reading from Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, foundational moral laws given to the Israelites after their liberation from Egypt. These commandments serve as a guide for living a righteous life, reflecting God's will for His people.
The second reading from Corinthians shifts our focus to the crucified Christ, where Paul emphasizes that the cross, though foolish to some, is the pinnacle of God's wisdom. This passage highlights the transformative power of the cross, which transcends human understanding and offers salvation to those who embrace it.
In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, asserting its sanctity as a house of prayer, not commerce. His prophecy about raising the temple in three days points to his resurrection, symbolizing Himself as the new temple where God's presence dwells. This act underscores Jesus' divine authority and the fulfillment of the law He came to embody.
These readings interconnect by moving from the moral foundation of the Ten Commandments to the wisdom of the cross and culminating in Jesus as the living temple. They invite us to reflect on our values, trust in God's wisdom, and recognize Christ's presence in our lives. May we strive to live according to God's commandments, find wisdom in the cross, and acknowledge Jesus as our spiritual temple, trusting in His divine plan.