Readings:

Maccabees 4: 36-37, 52-59
Luke 19: 45-48

Reflection:

In today’s gospel, we see a side of Jesus that is not often shown. He loses his temper and is angry that the Temple, the place of prayer, was degenerated into a sort of marketplace.

Temple-goers seem not to have noticed what the sellers are doing to the holy place, as they changed money and sold animals for sacrifice. These leaders were making a mockery of the temple and of the Lord. Jesus was not about to stand idly by and let this happen.

Jesus challenged the practice by addressing the corruption taking place. Jesus displayed zeal for God’s house and true worship among God’s people. It is important that we hear the words of the rebuke of Jesus, “It is written, My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.” Jesus said they had distorted the most holy of acts; the act of worship. There was no way anyone could pray amongst all the commerce in the Temple court.

Jesus’ anger was on behalf of the Lord and on behalf of those who were being deprived of authentic worship. It is an anger directed against what is sinful and wrong out of passion for what is right.

How often do we voice our views on what is wrong out of passion for what is right?

What in the church today needs cleansing?

Joanne McGrath is a parishioner of St Brigid’s Marrickville and a Passionist Companion.

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