Third Sunday of Lent, Year B, Primary

Primary Session
John 2:13-25

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.
Thank you, God, for giving us the Ten Commandments to help us live as your children.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.

Opening Life Reflection
The topic for today is the Ten Commandments. To begin, write “rules at school,” “rules at home,” and “rules in our community” in three columns on the board or on a sheet of poster paper. Invite volunteers to come forward and write down a rule that fits into one of the three columns. Discuss:

• Why do we follow rules at school?
• Why do we follow rules at home?
• Why do we follow rules in our community?

Allow time for discussion. Rules and laws are important because they help us to live good and healthy lives. The Ten Commandments are laws given to us by God. They help us to live as God’s children.

Listening to the Word of God
In the gospel reading today listen to what happens when Jesus finds people selling goods in the Temple.

Read John 2:13-25.
Allow for silence.

Scripture Discussion Starters
• Why does Jesus go to the Temple?
• What are the sellers and moneychangers doing in the Temple?
• What happens when Jesus finds the moneychangers and sellers in the Temple?

Scripture Background

Provide 2-3 minutes of background information on the gospel using the Catechist Background section.

In today’s gospel we hear that some people are selling things and exchanging money in God’s Temple. Jesus wants the people to stop turning God’s house into a market place. He drives all the sellers and the moneychangers out of the Temple. He cleanses the Temple of greed. Then Jesus tells the people about the destruction and rebuilding of the Temple, and they think he is speaking of bricks and mortar. The people don’t realize that Jesus is speaking of his own death and resurrection.

This gospel ends by pointing out that Jesus knows the hearts of those he meets. Jesus can see through the lies and false attitudes that work against God’s law of love. This passage reminds us that we can ask Jesus to cleanse our hearts as we try to live as God’s children.

Questions for Deeper Reflection

• Who teaches you about being respectful?
• How are you respectful when you attend Mass?
• What helps you to live as a child of God?

[If you are not going to continue with the doctrinal discussion, proceed to the Gospel in Life.]

Doctrinal Discussion Starters
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are part of the covenant God made with the people of Israel. Out of love God chose a people and entered into friendship with them. The people were given God’s Law to show them how to live.

God called Moses up to the mountain where he was given the Ten Commandments. God made a promise to Moses, that if the people keep the commandments, they will be God’s own.

The Ten Commandments help all people to show their love and respect for God, for one another, and for themselves. The first three commandments teach us to show love and respect for God, and the last seven teach us to show love and respect for others. The command to love is at the heart of God’s Law.

Christians understand that the Ten Commandments help us to live as God’s children. However, we believe that God’s Law is made perfect in the New Law given to us by Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us the Great Commandment to love God and love others as much as we love ourselves.

• What do the first three commandments teach us?
• What do the last seven commandments teach us?
• What commandment did Jesus give us?

Sacrament Connection
In the Sacrament of Reconciliation we are forgiven the sins that we commit after we are baptized. God’s Commandments teach us to love and respect God, all people, and ourselves. We sin when we freely choose to do what we know is against God’s Law of love.

The Gospel in Life
How can you live the Great Commandment this week?