First Reading

First reading

Reading from the prophecy of Ezekiel

Ezekiel 47, 1-2. 8-9. 12

In those days, a man led me to the entrance of the temple. Beneath the threshold water flowed toward the east, for the temple faced east, and the water descended along the right side of the temple, south of the altar.

Then he brought me out through the north gate and around to the gate that faces east, and the water was flowing along the right side.

That man said to me: «These waters flow toward the eastern region; they will descend to the Arabah, enter the sea of salt waters and purify it. Every living creature that moves wherever the torrent passes will live; there will be abundant fish, because the places where these waters reach will be purified and wherever the torrent passes, life will prosper. On both banks of the torrent fruit trees of every kind will grow, with evergreen foliage and inexhaustible fruit. They will bear new fruit each month, because they are watered by the waters that flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit will serve as food and their leaves as medicine».

Second reading

Reading from the first letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 3, 9-11. 16-17

Brothers and sisters: You are the house that God builds. As for me, in keeping with the gift God has granted me, like a good architect, I have laid the foundation; but it is another who builds upon it. Let each one take care how he builds. Of course, the only valid foundation is Jesus Christ and no one can lay any other.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Whoever destroys the temple of God will be destroyed by God, because the temple of God is holy and you are that temple.

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint John

John 2, 13-22

When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple sellers of oxen, sheep and doves, and the money changers at their tables. Then he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple, along with their sheep and oxen; he overturned the tables of the money changers and scattered their coins on the ground; and to those who sold doves he said: «Take all this away and do not turn my Father’s house into a marketplace».

At that moment, his disciples remembered what was written: Zeal for your house consumes me.

Then the Jews intervened to ask him: «What sign do you give us that you have authority to act this way?» Jesus answered them: «Destroy this temple and in three days I will rebuild it». The Jews replied: «Forty-six years this temple has been under construction, and you will raise it in three days?»

But he was speaking of the temple of his body. Therefore, when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this and they believed in the Scripture and in the words that Jesus had spoken.