ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS - Comments From the Chair - 7 March 2021

#CleansingOfTheTemple #Correction #Anger #RighteousAnger #Holiness TOPIC: ARE YOU ANGRY AT SOMEONE WHO HAS CORRECTED YOU? First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 Or Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19:8, 9, 10, 11 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 Verse Before the Gospel: John 3:16 Gospel: John 2:13-25 In today’s gospel reading, Jesus enters the Temple in Jerusalem and finds it in disarray. As was customary, Jews would change their Roman currency for Jewish currency to make a donation for the maintenance of the Temple. They were under the Romans who they did not like, thus, this practice. Moneychangers, whose tables were outside the Temple, would milk them for their services. Visitors who would offer animal sacrifices could buy those animals within the Temple grounds but these would be 15 to 20 times more expensive. They were in cahoots with Temple officials who allowed these anomalous arrangements. Jesus was angry at these abusive practices and wanted to right them. We reflect today on how God uses people to rebuke us to let us stay in the path towards holiness. This is the 334th installment of our CFC quarantine contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. [NOTE: All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on   / cfchrist   and Bong Arjonillo’s Facebook page]