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Third Sunday of Lent

RESPECT FOR GOD

Reverence is a virtue that we owe to God and holy things, persons and places. In fact, we are obliged by the Second Commandment to be respectful towards God. In this case, the market place had taken over God’s house of prayer. So Jesus with much vigour cleanses God’s house.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: 2144 Respect for his name is an expression of the respect owed to the mystery of God himself and to the whole sacred reality it evokes. 2146 The second commandment forbids the abuse of God’s name, i.e., every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary and all the saints. 2120 Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin when committed against the Eucharist.

How can we be more reverent? not talking in Church; saying our prayers with true respect; being careful about our language; by not watching blasphemous films; by defending God’s truths; and correcting others.

IS ANGER A SIN?

Good question! Anger can be a sin. Yet Jesus being God could not sin. So on this occasion Jesus manifested just anger which is not sinful. So there are two very different kinds of anger. One is a capital sin and the other is an emotion. By the way, there are eleven emotions. Sometimes the emotion of anger is called the passion of energy or energy utility drive. It is necessary in dire straits to solve a urgent problem when there is little time. I often wonder is some paramedics and police are endowed with this drive. At all times it is governed by reason and seeks that which is good for all concerned. Jesus manifested this kind of anger when cleansing the temple. The ultimate purpose of this event was to coerce the people into a greater respect and reverence for God and his abode. On the other hand, the sin of anger is often linked to pride and arrogance and can involve a degree of violence. It is to controlled by the will power.