Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(Ezekiel 47:1-9.12; John 5:1-16)
A few Christians may think of the Jerusalem Temple as a
place of worthless sacrifice and false piety. Jesus did predict its destruction,
and three gospels tell of its veil being sundered at Jesus’ death. However, Luke’s Gospel and Acts of the
Apostles along with most of Scripture see the Temple in a positive light. Today’s reading from Ezekiel tells why. The
Temple has served for centuries as a font of life-giving grace.
Nevertheless, today gospel testifies that Jesus replaces the
Temple as the source of grace. He restores
health to the sick man who has long waited in vain at the Temple’s gate. Jesus shows himself to be living water more
effective than the Temple’s. He bestows life
in abundance.
Rather than dwell on the shortcomings of the Temple, we
should see it as a provisional measure. In
it God prepared Israel for the coming of His Son. The animal holocausts offered there for the
forgiveness of sins help us appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The beauty and magnificence of its structure bespoke
God’s presence. Now we find God’s integral
presence in His Son.
