What Sign Can You Show Us?
Third Sunday of Lent (B)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 2: 13–25 - Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scriptures and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Jewish leaders want a sign from Jesus proving that He has authority to come into the temple and make such a scene. He answers, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” He isn’t speaking of the temple building, but about Himself. For the Jews, the temple was the spot on earth where the presence of God dwelt. It was the place where God met mankind. Jesus is saying that He Himself is the New Temple where, even more profoundly and even more perfectly, God meets mankind. So when Jesus speaks of destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days, He is speaking of His Death and Resurrection.
The Resurrection is the supreme proof of Jesus’ divinity. But this great sign of the Resurrection won’t come until after the Cross. The Jews want proof now. Jesus says, I’ll give you proof later. We are like the Jews. We want God to prove Himself first, before we believe. Often, He does this. But there are other times when God waits and asks for our faith. Here, He wants us to prove ourselves, and our faith, first. While God does come to meet us at our level of weakness, He does not wish to leave us there. He wishes to raise us to His level. If there is a time when God doesn’t prove Himself to us quickly and clearly, we must remember that perhaps what we are asking of God (“prove Yourself”), He is actually asking of us (“prove yourself”). Believing when God seems silent is a trial, a real cross. But it is only after the Cross that we will witness the Resurrection.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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