Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 3, 2024
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between God’s law, the power of the Cross, and the authority of Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear the Ten Commandments, which are not just rules but a way of life that reflects God’s love and care for his people. These commandments call us to reverence God, respect others, and live with integrity. They remind us that our actions have consequences and that living in accordance with God’s will leads to a life of peace and harmony.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the Cross of Christ. St. Paul reminds us that the Cross is both foolishness and power—foolishness to those who do not believe, but power to those who have been saved. The Jews sought signs, the Greeks sought wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. This reading challenges us to embrace the paradox of the Cross: in weakness, we find strength; in surrender, we find victory. The Cross is the ultimate expression of God’s wisdom and love, and it invites us to trust in his plan, even when it seems counterintuitive.
In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, demonstrating his authority and zeal for his Father’s house. This act is a powerful reminder that our lives and our communities must be centered on God. Jesus’ words, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” point to his own body as the true temple, and his resurrection as the ultimate sign of God’s power. Like the disciples, we are called to remember Jesus’ words and actions, and to believe in the Scriptures and in the power of the Cross.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we living according to God’s commandments? Are we embracing the power of the Cross in our lives? Are we allowing Jesus to cleanse our hearts and minds, making them temples of the Holy Spirit? May we trust in God’s wisdom, live with integrity, and remember that true strength comes from surrendering to his will.