and money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove them all out
of the temple court, together with the oxen and sheep. He knocked over the tables of the
money-changers, scattering the coins, and ordered the people selling doves, “Take all this
away, and stop making a marketplace of my Father’s house!” His disciples recalled the
words of Scripture: Zeal for your house devours me like fire. The Jews then questioned
Jesus, “Where are the miraculous signs which give you the right to do this?” And Jesus
said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then replied,
“The building of this temple has already taken forty-six years, and will you raise it up in
three days?” Actually, Jesus was referring to the temple of his body. Only when he had
risen from the dead did his disciples remember these words; then they believed both the
Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.

Reflect

“Jesus' offering of his life” Today’s Gospel narrates the cleansing of the Temple of
Jerusalem by Jesus. The event of the cleansing of the Temple is reported by all the
four evangelists (Mk 11:15-19; Mt 21:12-17; Lk 19:45-48; Jn 2:13- 16). While the
Synoptic Gospels put the event of the cleansing of the Temple toward the end
of their respective Gospels, the Johannine account is found at the beginning.
The Gospel for today is taken from the Gospel of John. We may reflect on the
point that the Gospel of John placed the event prominently at the beginning,
highlighting the association of the Temple with Jesus’ body. Jesus’ physical
body would be destroyed and be rebuilt after three days. In John’s Gospel, the
community of disciples that eventually became the Church was born while Jesus
was hanging on the cross. The offering of the life of Jesus, therefore, is the very
foundation of the Church, which is the people of God. We are reminded of Jesus’
offering of his life whenever we enter a church.

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