Homily For Third Sunday Of Lent: A Time To Reflect On Our Lives In The Light Of The Ten Commandments

Abu Dhabi.

Below is the full text of the homily delivered by Bishop Paul Hinder during Holy Mass on the 3rd Sunday of Lent at St. Joseph's Cathedral Abu Dhabi.

Readings of the Day:
Exodus 20:1-17
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-25

When we enter a house or an apartment in great disorder, we often spontaneously say: “What a mess!” We can also speak about a mess in the life of people who live in disorder. We just heard the Decalogue or ten commandments from the book of Exodus. The “ten words” are given through Moses to Israel that they can get out of a mess. The ten commandments have the purpose to put order into the life of individuals and the people. They regulate the relationship with God (first stone tablet) and between people (second stone tablet).

The first tablet is the foundation and establishes our recognition of the one God: You shall have no gods except me!” God has to be recognized as the unique God who has no rival. Think about all those things that can take the place of God in our lives. Secondly, there shall be no blasphemy abusing His holy name. And thirdly, observing the Sabbath (Sunday) we give space to the principle: “God first!” We worship God, reserving a day for him.

The second tablet puts our relationship with others on a solid basis. The commandments five to ten teach us that respect for one God is reflected in the respect for the others.

Honour father and mother, means to respect those who have given us life and to take care of the ones who help us to grow. It applies to all who in one way or another play a fatherly or motherly role in our lives.

Do not kill. We recognize the basic right of existence for each human being. Before God, there is no justification of war, murder, street-killing, abortion, assisted suicide, terroristic attacks. It applies equally to all kind of character assassination. Do not kill! Neither by physical violence nor by calumnies.

You shall not commit adultery! This commandment protects not only the integrity of the matrimonial bond. It also means the responsibility before God and before humans for our sexuality. We know about the fragility of human beings in this regard. The sixth commandment is given to avoid a mess in matters of sexuality.

Do not steal! Most of us are used to lock the house, the apartment, the room. Why? Because, we do not trust that people respect the property (and the privacy) of others. This commandment wants us to respect the legitimate property of each person. It also means to act in justice towards others regarding  the remuneration for their work and similar.

Do not give false witness! Countless are the lies told every day – in the daily conversations as well as on the level of politics. Lies undermine the mutual trust. That’s why we very often ask the question: “Is that true?” God is truth. Whoever believes in him has to be true in his word towards the others. Remember Jesus saying, “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (Mt 5:37)

Do not covet the neighbours good or wife! Envy and greed can easily dominate our lives. How often we wish to get something not because we really need it but because we have seen it with our neighbour. It starts with the reaction of children who cry “Me too, I want to get this or that!” And it continues very often throughout the life.

When Jesus entered the temple, he was angry because he found it in a status of mess. Jesus cleanses the temple to re-establish the right order: God first, the rest second. Jesus shares the passion of Moses. Moses in anger about the infidelity of the people destroyed the tablets of the covenant, Jesus in zeal cleanses the temple which had become a marketplace. He wanted to make pass again the basic “God first”, all the rest is secondary.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the time of Lent is a good occasion to reflect on our life in the light of the ten commandments and of the cleaning of the temple by Jesus.

Do we put God first? Are our relations to the others secured by the commandments five to ten? Does the temple of our body and mind need a cleansing like the temple in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus?

I think there is still a lot to be done until we can celebrate Easter.