CYCLE B LENT 3RD
1. Two points come through the scripture readings from events that unfolded in the Gospel:
a. What it means to have Reverence for the a TEMPLE of God
b. And the Proper USE of Anger.
A. We believe the Temple cleansing event historically did take place:
1. It was recorded in all four Gospels.
2. And it’s not illogical that it could have occurred. What theologically emerged, when Jesus threw out of the temple the merchants and money changers, is a clear desire for us to show respect to the HOLY PLACES and PRACTICES that would have been Associated in Jewish Religious Practices. (The use in the 1st reading of the 10 commandments with it’s heavy emphasis on the 1st 3 commandments where the respect due God is featured, was a great support to this Gospel.)
But if we look to a couple of Gospel lines we get the HINT that there is additional SYMBOLIC and more PERSONAL meanings for us.
The 1st line is when Jesus said: “Destroy this Temple and in 3 days I will rebuild it.” The 2nd text in the Gospel: “He needed no one to give Him testimony about human nature: He was well aware of what is in mans heart”.
The 1st SYMBOL is quite obvious: Jesus was referring to Himself as the Temple that would be destroyed on the cross and be raised in 3 days. It shows the value of life over stone to God.
The 2nd SYMBOLIC meaning is our ‘HEARTS’, are also a House of the Father or Temple of the Holy Spirit. And to have respect for God, they must have to cleared. We don’t want our Hearts to be the ‘MARKET PLACE’ that Jesus was referring to.
Against His word (the 10 commandments) we are to Search our hearts to see…if there any SELFISHNESS or GREED, is there HATRED, is there any FALSE PRIDE, is there any TRICKERY or LAZINESS to be found. If so we must ‘DRIVE’ it from its wrongful place. We ‘CHASE’ it out side of Holy Ground, we must ‘OVERTURN’ it from it’s place in our heart.
B. Now lets talk about ANGER. When Jesus drove the hucksters and money changers out of the temple, was this the same Jesus who extended the commandment “You shall not kill” to forbid even anger, insults and interior contempt for others?
Is the Jesus whom we see knocking over tables and driving out animals with a whip the same Jesus who said, “turn the other check and ‘love your enemies”?
Like every emotion, anger can be put to good use or bad. In the Gospel Jesus shows us how to use ‘ANGER as an expression of love.
-Love seeks union of mind and heart with God.
-God who is Love works through communication
Expressing anger can say to another how strongly one feels about Something—that affects a persons relationship with God.
-By expressing the anger He felt, Jesus was trying to show people what they were doing and how contrary to the law it was. He let His Anger come out, so they would change.
-Jesus did not use anger to DESTROY anyone. He used it to bring others to life, even if He knew it meant it would bring Him to His Death.
2, I THINK God used many emotional expressions. In the 10 commandments as given in the desert and then given again to each of us today, I think we hear TRUTH combined with what I also sense as a Bit of Anger in God’s Voice. (I, thou shalt not) Given in this way, we received a passionate call to Change ourselves and a passionate reminder to be the impetus to Change in others.
2. Like God, as expressed in the life of Jesus, we too must not stand MEEKLY by and let EVIL go UNCHALLENGED. (Look to the 10 commandments to determine what is Evil.) We cannot use physical violence, but we can use emotional measures. of which anger can be one of them, to produce the FORCEFULNESS to enlist change.
Remember from here on, Truth and passionate expression go hand in hand.
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