3rd Sunday of Lent

Touching on the sacred is at the heart of today’s Gospel. There is a need for people to encounter the living presence of God directly. The turning over of the tables in the temple is one of the most dramatic events in Jesus’ ministry and can be easily misunderstood. There is a sense in which the mediation between God and humanity had become distorted. More attention was spent on the transaction which exchanged a secular currency for a sacred currency in which sacrifice could be offered. Like any transaction there was an ability for people to make a profit at the expense of those who could least afford it. This exploitation of a person’s desire to enter into a wholesome and holy relationship with God was at the centre of these ritual practices. There was a sense in which the ritual practice kept God at arm’s length. Jesus recognized the importance of offering these sacrifices but also wanted people to enter into the relationship with God which was personal, intimate and life changing. Jesus wanted to say it was by offering himself that he opened a door to the sacred presence of God which others could follow. He was seeking to be the atonement which could make peace between people by offering what we could not do on our own. He was calling people to be at one with God.

In our lives we know this can be seeing in many aspects of life. There can be a sense in which people can make money out of what appear arcane areas of knowledge. It is one of the great challenges of our modern age for most professions. The introduction of the internet has made medical, business, academic and political knowledge more widely available. No longer can people be guardians of this knowledge because it can become available through a computer program or on google. There can be a similar recognition that the door to the sacred is wider now that it has ever been. Many people can offer their own interpretation or insight into the divine presence. In such an age there can be elements of truth which are present in what people write and say. But it can be confusing and people can be pulled in many different ways at once. There can even be a sense that when someone seeks to speak with authority on a certain topic and especially about God it can be treated with immediate skepticism.

How, therefore, are we called to discern where God’s spirit is leading us?

The first question is what do we consider to be our sacred space? This may well be a Church or a chapel but it could also be the place where we find ourselves able to open our hearts to God. It is important that this does not become too cluttered or complex. It should be able to be a place where we can be open to God and where we can be still.

The second question is how do we see ourselves as sacred space? This allows us the opportunity to understand that we are a temple of God’s Holy Spirit. We need to find a time when we can be open to God and a posture which allows us to be present. This may be sitting, kneeling, standing, lying face down or walking. We are human and we pray with the whole body.

The third question is how do we enter into the sacred space? The form of prayer can be as different as personalities. Some find an image can be helpful, others that a piece of scripture can lead them deeper, or even gazing upon a beautiful part of nature. Still others need to shut their eyes and come to a place of silence with a prayer word.

Having considered these questions we need to understand that we are entering into a relationship with the divine. It is important that we do not have preconceptions of what may happen but God we always open is heart to us which are consistent with scripture and with previous generations. God may not say much but he will always seek to bring life out of death, light out of darkness and hope out of despair.