Today’s Gospel – Gospel of John 2:13 – “The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”
Why was Jesus so angry? I never really understood this passage about Jesus’ anger before. But today, something changed. What? Well, today, I meditated silently for 15mins. after hearing it read. And then, reading it for myself later on, I meditated again. The silence allowed it to speak to me or rather to penetrate my heart space and reveal itself to me. What was going on inside of Jesus and why was He so very angry?
WHY?…Because it implied Priestly corruption. The Priests were turning away the animal offerings brought by the people claiming some imperfection in order to disqualify them from having followed the Word of God regarding the selection of a perfect animal without blemish. In that way, they would have to purchase an offering from the Sellers on the staircase to the Temple in order to enter. And since their currency was not the same as that of the area they had travelled to, they also had to exchange their money with the money changers for a fee. The Priest would then receive a profit from the Sellers and the Money Changers. This entire enterprise was a grave perversion against the actual Law of the Lord and its requirements which were to be followed strictly in obedience to God’s Covenant with them.
Think about that for a moment. The scene Jesus must have witnessed when he arrived at the Temple and found animals moving about all over, being bought and sold like at a Market, people all crowded onto the steps exchanging their money, loud talking…
Jesus knew immediately that this could not be taking place without the Priest’s consent. And right on the steps of His Father’s House….
On this 4th Sunday of Lent, lets ponder this a while together using another of our dear brother Mark’s instrumental meditations:
May God Open Our Hearts To Hear His Word!
+Theresa HHC