Daily Gospel Reflection for March 3, 2024: Third Sunday of Lent

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 2:13-25

WWJD. We see those four letters and think to ourselves, What would Jesus do? Sometimes we use this to either take a deep breath and calm ourselves or feel ashamed when we’ve reacted harshly. We look to Jesus and see Him as Love incarnate, suffering for the forgiveness of our sins. We tell ourselves that Jesus would be patient in all situations. He would love everyone with kindness and mercy. We can’t be as good as Jesus. Especially in the situation frustrating us most at the moment.

But today’s Gospel reminds us of something we often overlook. Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. He doesn’t need anyone to testify to Him about human nature because He himself experiences it. He understands human emotions. All of them, including frustration, anger, sadness, and grief. In this passage, we see Jesus respond with passion of another kind. He’s bold. Zeal consumes Him, with all its fiery hot intensity, and He responds with all His humanity. When He tells the Jews to destroy this temple and He will raise it up in three days, does it sound like He might be saying, I dare you to do it and then you’ll see what will happen?

While we probably shouldn’t act as Jesus did in today’s Gospel tossing tables and making whips, perhaps we can give ourselves a little mercy when we feel frustrated at a situation happening to us. After all, Jesus understands. It’s part of His, and our, human nature.

Ponder:

Prayerfully meditate on the essence of human nature, the ways we think, feel, and act.

Pray:

Oh my Jesus, You also experienced the wide range of human emotions. Guide me with mercy and love through today’s irritations and frustrations.

Click to tweet:
While we probably shouldn’t act as Jesus did in today’s Gospel, perhaps we can give ourselves a little mercy when we feel frustrated. #DailyGospel

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