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
Ash Wednesday 2021 – Much has happened since the last post made by our dear Bro. Mark. In his humble way and because of his most sincere love of God, neighbor and country, his posts were always so uplifting and served to inspire whomever might read them. He never was concerned with whether or not his Blog had a tremendous following. It only mattered that his words gave hope to the suffering, Suffering he, himself, was well acquainted with. 
In the past, I had only used podcasts for background noise to help me fall sleep. But I recently discovered one that I actually use for its content. And as a person with many limitations and physical challenges, I would like to recommend it to all of you who share in the frustrations of being unable to manage the holding of a heavy Bible or the small print of a lighter one. Or even just the inability to sit up in your bed to read one. 
It’s been five months since I have last written a blog to you. We are still contending with Covid-19 here in the United States. In other countries throughout our world, the Coronavirus is also ticking up once again. Thank God for our front line healthcare workers. They are very selfless human beings, often times being the only ones helping those struggling through the effects of this debilitating disease, many times even guiding them through the process of dying so they won’t have to die alone. The Hermits have been offering God our sufferings and lifting our prayers in intercession with you and for you. Please, continue to send us your prayer requests. We are all together on this journey to the Heart of God. “Here we have no lasting City” When I am ready to give up carrying my cross because of its weight and I’m just sick of my sufferings, I often remind myself of this fact that, “Here we have no lasting City” Heb 13:14 Keep your hearts and minds focused on the Kingdom of Heaven. Lately, through our darkness I have been meditating on the pure love that Christ Jesus has for each of us. Pure Love has His Heart wide open for us to share in it with Him. He knows we are all broken in some way but never, ever gives up on us. Our personal sufferings are our Cross and when we pick it up, carry it, and follow Him He will be “yoked” to us walking side by side with us. When we walk with Him, in the Heart of Christ, our soul/spirit will find healing and our own hearts will find an inner joy and peace that can only come from Him.
