3rd Sunday of Lent “Tear down this sanctuary and in three days I will

raise it up” -John 2:13-25

PAGE 2 MARCH 7, 2021 ♦ 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT

The Purifica on of the Temple

Jesus was enraged at the thriving commerce going on around the Temple of Jerusalem. Any day, but more specially during the Sab-bath, the faithful would flock to the Temple. They come to offer animal sacrifices in the Temple. And so there was selling and buying of oxen, sheep and pigeons that were necessary for the Temple cult. There were priests who reject the offered animals because they were impure. And the people would, in turn, buy from the animal sellers around the Temple for exorbitant prices. Most o en, the priests would have share from the commercial exchange in the system of animal sacrifice.

Taxes were collected from the people for the support of the Temple, its priests and the religious authori es that managed it. Taxes were paid with coins that are not bearing effigies. For this reason, people exchanged their Roman money to Tyrian money. And so there were money changers. Spaces around the Temple were also u lized for the commercial exchange. And the Temple itself de-rived huge amounts of money from the rent.

There was nothing new in the system that was taking place in the Temple. It had been going on for genera ons, known by many. But no one confronted it un l Jesus came along. He condemned the commerce that arise from the devo on of people in the Temple, reminding everyone that the Temple is a house of God. More than that, he confronted the authori es in the Temple who tolerated this system to thrive. In effect, Jesus signed his death warrant when he cast commerce out of the temple.

When money creeps in, it tends to take over. Churches, Basilicas, Shrines and other places of worship a ract commerce because of the heavy foot traffic generated by the arrival of the faithful. The faithful have needs and business ou its and the enterprising peo-ple cater to them. Chris an sacraments, on the other hand, are not le untouched by commercialism. Christening par es, First Com-munion money, Confirma on discos, wedding feast—all these can also be tarnished by buying and selling.

There is a very thin line that demarcates temples, churches, basilicas, shrines, and houses of worships from the oikos emporiou, or marketplace. The awareness of this fact would provide the horizon for mindfulness. For what the Lord Jesus wants is for the house of worship not to degenerate into a marketplace. For him, the house of worship is not merely a building where people gather (to hi-eron); it is a house of the Father. Zeal for the house of his Father consumed Jesus.

Our bodies can also be the presence of the Divine. And our bodies can also be the site for the marketplace the way we pamper them with the products of the emporium, or the market. Our communion with God necessitates the presence of our bodies in all their totality. From me to me, it is helpful to go the way of Jesus when he “purified” the Temple of his Father in rela on to the purifica-

on of our bodies. That we are meant for God, whole and en re. And that our bodies can be the temple of the Holy Spirit immanent in our daily lives.

Fr. Sam Cuarto

La purificación del templo

Jesús estaba enfurecido por el próspero comercio que estaba sucediendo alrededor del Templo de Jerusalén. Cualquier día, pero más especialmente durante el día de reposo, los fieles acudían al Templo. Vienen a ofrecer sacrificios de animales en el Templo. Así que había venta y compra de bueyes, ovejas y palomas que eran necesarios para el culto al Templo. Había sacerdotes que rechazaban a los animales ofrecidos porque eran impuros. Y la gente, a su vez, compraría a los vendedores de animales alrededor del Templo por precios exorbitantes. Muy a menudo, los sacerdotes habrían compar do del intercambio comercial en el sistema de ahorro animal. Se recaudaron impuestos al pueblo para el apoyo del Templo, sus sacerdotes y las autoridades religiosas que lo administraron. Los impuestos se pagaban con monedas que no llevaban efigies. Por esta razón, la gente cambió su dinero romano por dinero de Tyrian. Así que hubo cambiadores de dinero. Los espacios alrededor del Templo también fueron u lizados para el intercambio comercial. Y el templo en sí derivó enormes can dades de dinero del alquiler. No había nada nuevo en el sistema que estuviera teniendo lugar en el Templo. Había estado sucediendo durante generaciones, conocido por muchos. But nadie se enfrentó a ella hasta que Jesús vino. Condenó el comercio que surge de la devoción de las personas en el Templo, recordandoa todos que el Templo es una casa de Dios. Más que eso, se enfrentó a las autoridades del Templo que toleraron que este sistema prosperara. En efecto, Jesús firmó su orden de muerte cuando expulsó el comercio del templo. Cuando el dinero se arrastra, ende a tomar el control. Iglesias, basílicas, santuarios y otros lugares de culto atraen al comercio debido al intenso tráfico peatonal generado por la llegada de los fieles. Los fieles enen necesidades y trajes de negocios y la gen-te emprendedora les a ende. Los sacramentos cris anos,por otro lado, no quedan intactos por el mercan lismo. Fiestas de bau zo, dinero de primera comunión, discotecas de confirmación, fiesta debodas, todo esto también se puede empañar com-prando y vendiendo. Hay una línea muy delgada en templos demarcados, iglesias, basílicas, santuarios y casas de culto de la oikos emporiou,o merca-do. La conciencia de este hecho proporcionaría el horizonte para la atención plena. Porque lo que el Señor Jesús quiere es que la casa de culto no degenere en un mercado. Para él, la casa de culto no es simplemente un edificio donde la gente se reúne (ahieron); es una casa del Padre. Zeal por la casa de su Padre consumió a Jesús. Nuestros cuerpos también pueden ser la presencia de lo Divino. Y nuestros cuerpos también pueden ser el si o para el mercado de la manera en que los mimamos con los productos del emporio, o el mercado. Nuestra comunión con Dios requiere la presen-cia de nuestro cuerpo en toda su totalidad. De vez en cuando, es ú l seguir el camino de Jesús cuando "purificó" el Templo de su Padre en relación con la purificación de nuestro cuerpo. Que estamos des nados a Dios, enteros y enteros. Y que nuestros cuer-pos pueden ser el templo del Espíritu Santo inmanente en nuestra vida co diana.

Padre Sam Cuarto

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PAGE 4 MARCH 3, 2021 ♦ 2ND SUNDAY IN LENT

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PAGE 6 MARCH 3, 2021 ♦ 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT

Monday, March 8, 2021 First: Dn 9:4b-10 Psalm: 79:8, 9, 11 and 13 Gospel: Lk 6:36-38 Tuesday, March 9, 2021: First: Is 1:10, 16-20 Psalm: 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23 Gospel: Mt 23:1-12 Wednesday, March 10, 2021: First: Jer 18:18-20 Psalm: 31:5-6, 14, 15-16 Gospel: Mt 20:17-28

Thursday, March 11, 2021 First: Jer 17:5-10 Psalm: 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 Gospel: Lk 16:19-31 Friday, March 12, 2021 First: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Psalm: 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Gospel: Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 Saturday, March 13, 2021 First: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20 Psalm: 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 Gospel: Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Veronica Pomposa Pablo Godinez Claire Mansour Mercedes Echegoyen Jeff Kinzli Aidan Bradley Dawn Hopkins Imelda Clark Phillip Ribas Maria Robles Dolores Casper Jose & Helen (YB) Allison Arahkn Franklin Moya Mariano Velazquez

Susan Morales Paula Aguilar Ed Ricard Gary Thomas Patricia Branagan Phyllis Richardson Harolyn Ma soff Pat Borland Rita Gen le Julie Sianzon Yolanda Aburto Nelson Aburto Karo Dylanian Shereen Peer Michael Peer

Grace Cihanowiz Renee Harbour Ma. Josefa Lopez Angela Rostani Jose Luis Reyes Jr. Stephanie Rivas Angela Berry Ruth Sorney Debbie Lane Tony Mammo Tonya Fuentes Fuentes Family Mejia Family Fr. Tom Feltz Jasmin Reyes

Jose Reyes Jr. Anne Nicholson Chrystal Pritchard Raymond Fabre Brianna Mantallana Jolli Sisante Liz Knight Lidia Jimenez Samantha Ramirez Corzo Family Bobby S llman Robert S llman

Rubén Salagubang

PRAYER REQUEST FOR OUR BELOVED SICK

U.S. Navy

Andres L. Aguilera

Jamila Habibullah

Jake Schneider Emily Pomposo

Jordan Arteaga Jeffrey Quintero

U.S. Air Force

Fernando Aguilera

Marco Flores Jorje Godina Steve Hyath

U.S. Marine Corps

Manuel Arteaga

David Arnold

Christopher Castillo

Andrew Barragan Monica Pagan

Isaac Pezqueda George Moreno Jr. Joshua Walton

U.S. Army

Nicholas Lombard

Heather Scheibe Pomer-antz

Brian Pomerantz

Corey Raby

Vincent Sanwo

Ron Clemente

Anthony Villwock

George Moreno

Phillip Ribas Marc A. Monreal

Helen Ballestas

U.S. Coast Guard David Scates

(LAFD) Brian Page

PRAYER REQUEST FOR OUR MILITARY MEN & WOMEN

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY

Daily Mass Readings

Lecturas de la Semana

PAGE 7 MARCH 7, 2021 ♦ 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT

Mass Schedule /

Horario de Misas

Sunday / Domingo:

8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00 am (Spanish)

Saturday / Sabado:

8:00 am and 4:00 pm (Vigil Mass)

Weekdays: / Misa Matutina:

8:00 am (Parish Center)

Eucharistic Adoration /

Adoracion Eucaristica

Every Friday:

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

after 8:00 am Mass

(Parish Center Courtyard)

Sacrament of Penance /

Confesiones

(Christmas & Lent times may change)

Friday: 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Saturday: 9:00 am to 10:00 am

Contact the Parish Center to arrange for:

Baptism ♦ Marriages ♦ Visits to the Sick ♦ Religious Education

♦ New Parishioner Registrations

Parish Office Hours /

Horario de Oficina

Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

(Closed for lunch: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm)

Saturdays & Sundays: Closed

Sabado y Domingo: Cerrado

Third Sunday of Lent

First Reading: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Responsorial Psalm: Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19 Second Reading: Rom 8:31b-34 Gospel: Mk 9:2-10

Monday: Anisha & Peter Virgen / Gian Cardenas

Tuesday: Maria Bonilla (D)

Wednesday: Liam Bowers (D)

Thursday: Maria Robles (D)

Friday: Maria De Los Angeles Munos

Saturday: Bogdan Wozniak (D)

♦ Weekday Masses (Mon—Sat) at 8am are

inside the church. Adoration continues

at the parish center Chapel immediately

after Mass Mon-Fri all day until 6pm.

♦ Stations of the Cross daily after 8am

Mass at the Prayer Chapel during Lent.

♦ Parish Office remains closed to the

public but is taking phone calls and

emails during regular business hours.

♦ Should you need to drop off any

envelopes or mail for the parish staff

please feel free to drop it off at the

gray mail box located in the lawn area

outside of our parish center front

door.

Mass Intentions for this week

Schedule Updates