GOSPEL:  John 2:13-25
When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there. Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.' Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: I am eaten up with zeal for your house. The Jews intervened and said, 'What sign can you show us that you should act like this?' Jesus answered, 'Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days?' But he was speaking of the Temple that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what he had said. During his stay in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he did, but Jesus knew all people and did not trust himself to them; he never needed evidence about anyone; he could tell what someone had within.

REFLECTION
This week’s Gospel gets our attention immediately. Jesus has just arrived in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. He immediately goes to the temple. When he arrived at the temple, the situation he found there infuriated Him. Yes, there were many people in the temple. However, most of there were not there to pray. There were an astounding number of money changers and also people selling animals for sacrifice!

Jesus absolutely “lost” it! He took a length of cord, made a whip and began driving all these people out of the temple! They were desecrating this beautiful and sacred temple. How dare they? The temple was built and dedicated to be a place for prayer and worship. It was not built to be a market place! Jesus was infuriated! Yet he also was saddened that the people would desecrate such a holy, beautiful and sacred place.

Today may be a day to ask ourselves: what and where are our sacred places? What are the places that are sacred to us? It might be a church, a forest, the mountains, the ocean or simply a swing in our backyard or special chair in our house. We all need sacred places in our lives. These sacred places enable us to experience and open ourselves to God’s presence in the beauty, the silence, the peace – be that in nature, the quiet space in your house or a church.

Sacred places and spaces help to ground us in God. And thus, we may experience God’s presence in that place more intensely and more tangibly. A sacred place as well as a sacred activity (such as simply sitting quietly in a chair) also may help us open ourselves more deeply to God’s presence, word and grace.

Today I invite you to deliberately sit quietly with God for 5, 10, or 30 minutes. We may receive many gifts and deep peace as we quietly and peacefully simply sit with God! God longs for us and God is waiting for us! Will we come? (Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau)

PROJECT COMPASSION: OLIVA FROM TANZANIA
Twenty-two-year-old Oliva lives in Tanzania with her farmer husband, two young sons and an adopted niece and nephew.

She didn’t have the opportunity to go to school growing up - and was embarrassed that she couldn’t read, write or count. Around 25 percent of Tanzanian girls and women over 15 years cannot read or write, with many families unable to afford school fees or uniforms.

Now, as an adult, Oliva runs a kiosk and works as a farm labourer - but her business was losing money because she couldn’t add up.

Then Oliva enrolled in Caritas Australia-supported literacy and numeracy classes. She also set up a classroom at home to teach her neighbours, for free, because they were too shy to attend larger classes.

Oliva has now graduated, as have some of her students. Attendance at her classes is growing, her kiosk is thriving and she can help her children with their homework. She aims to become a pastor and run for leadership in the next local election.

Oliva aspires to “Be More’ and wants to help her community to achieve its vision of a better life for all.

“I am proud to be a teacher who helps others to achieve their dream,” Oliva says.

Please remember to send in your donations for Project Compassion and help make the world a fairer place for all. Let us be more!

Thanks to your generosity, we have currently raised $265.90. 

STAGE 3 PROVOCATION
Fr Peter came to talk to Stage 3 as part of their provocation for Religious Education. The students were amazed at Fr Peter's incredible journey just to become a priest and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

God Bless,
Warren Ziebowski
Religious Education Coordinator