[Rank]
Feria Tertia infra Hebdomadam I in Quadragesima;;Feria major;;2

[Rule]

[Lectio1]
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 21:10-17.
In that time, when Jesus was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this? And so on.
_
Homily by the Venerable Bede, Priest (at Jarrow.)
!11th for Lent, Tom. vii
The same thing which the Lord showed in a figure by cursing the barren fig-tree, He afterwards more plainly put before us by casting the desecrators out of the temple. The tree herself had not sinned by bearing no fruit when the Lord was hungry, for the time of figs was not yet come, but those Priests had sinned who were carrying on worldly business in the Lord's house, and who neglected to bring forth that fruit of godliness which they owed, and which the Lord was hungry to find in them. The Lord made the fig-tree to wither away under His curse, that all men who saw it, and all men who hear of it, might know that they will be condemned by the judgment of God, if they content themselves with the talk of godliness, without the solid fruit of good works, even as that barren figtree was clothed only with a rustling garb of green leaves.

[Lectio2]
But because the buyers and sellers understood not the parable of the barren fig-tree, the Lord brought upon them the stroke of the punishment that they had deserved, and cast out the traffickers in earthly things, from that house, wherein it had been commanded that nothing should be done save the work of God, sacrifices and prayers offered up to Him, and His word read, taught, and sung. And yet it may be believed that nothing was being sold or bought in the temple save such things as were needful for the service thereof, as we read in another place, (John ii. 14,) that when Jesus went into the temple He found those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and all these things were doubtless there for no other end but to be offered to God in that His holy house, and were sold by the natives to those worshippers who came from a distance, to be so used.

[Lectio3]
If, therefore, the Lord would not have to be sold in the temple, even such things as He willed should be offered therein, (On account, that is, of the greed or dishonesty which is often the stain of such transactions,) with what anger, suppose ye, would He visit such as He might find laughing or gossiping there, or yielding to any other sin. If the Lord suffer not to be carried on in His house such worldly business as may be freely done elsewhere, how much more shall such things as ought never to be done anywhere, draw down the anger of God if they be done in His own holy house. Lastly the Holy Ghost came down upon the Lord in the shape of a dove, and by doves therefore may be signified the gifts of that Holy Spirit. They, then, to this day sell doves in the temple of God, who take money in the Church for the laying on of their hands, whereby the Holy Ghost is given from heaven.

[Ant 2]
Jesus went into * the temple of God, * and cast out all them that sold and bought and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.

[Oratio 2]
Look down, O Lord, on this thy family, and grant that our minds, which, by the chastening of the body, we seek to purify, may ever more and more shine in thy sight by strong hungering after thee.
$Per Dominum.

[Ant 3]
For it is written * that My house is the house of prayer * for all nations but ye have made it a den of thieves and He was daily teaching in the temple.

[Oratio 3]
O Lord, may our prayers come up before thy presence, and do Thou mercifully rid thy Church of all wickedness.
$Per Dominum.