The context of the gospel this week is the confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish authorities in the Temple. Who Jesus is and what authority he has for actions, including the cleansing of the Temple, is the question. Jesus does not justify himself rather he challenges the authority of the chief priests and the elders. The key thing for God is not what people say but what they do. The Jewish authorities have failed to respond to the call to repentance. The most unlikely of people, the tax collectors and prostitutes have, and this is what gives them priority in the in-breaking Kingdom of God which was foretold by St John the Baptist and realized in Jesus Christ. The Temple no longer exists however the call to repentance is still there. The challenge for us today is whether we are self-justifying or self-righteous, like the Jewish authorities of the day, or are we open to the radical message to change our lives and bring them into line with the Gospel. Every Ash Wednesday we rehearse the liturgy of repentance but is it a reality in our lives throughout the year? Let me be honest in my self critique: do I forgive others? do I have good stewardship of the earth's resources? am I greedy or materialistic? do I honour God and worship him with gratitude? do I act in a sexually moral way? do I put others first? Our journey of discipleship always challenges us to go further in our faith journey. Let us do so with courage: "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus". (Phil 2: 5)
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