When Jesus gets angry...

3RD SUNDAY OF LENT

[ John 2: 13-25 ]

   Jesus gets angry and flips tables!

The other side of Jesus, often selectively and conveniently ignored.

It was near the time of Jewish Passover – the summit of the Jewish year – that Jesus went up to the Holy City of Jerusalem, the heart of Israel’s worship. To our Lord’s dismay, the Temple was filled with people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and even the money changers were enjoying good business setting up their counters there.

Far from being meek and mild, Jesus flipped the tables, scattered the coins, chased people with a whip, and drove them out of the Temple. If this were to happen today, even Christians would accuse Jesus of being ‘un-Christlike’. As clueless as the disciples of Jesus back then, we wonder what got on Jesus’ nerves…

   ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’ [Mk 11: 17]

The Father’s house was supposed to be the house of prayer, not a marketplace, a business centre, a circus, an entertainment parlour, a fashion parade, a mamak stall, nor a den of thieves. It pained Jesus to see such defilement and desecration of His Father’s house. It pained Jesus to see how the people have wandered off worshipping false gods of money, personal gains and material wealth. Out of great love for His Father, Jesus cleansed and rid the Temple of such defilement and desecration, restoring once again the right worship pleasing to the Father.

   ‘You are God’s temple.’ [1 Co 3: 16]

St Paul [1 Co 3: 16] reminded us that, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” We are not our own. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and our heart is the sacred space where the one true God should be honoured, worshipped and adored.

This 3rd Sunday of Lent, Jesus is entering the temple of our heart, the sacred centre of our being. What will Jesus find? Will He come to find in our heart a marketplace or den of thieves? Instead of worshipping the one true God, have we allowed the false gods of pleasure, power, wealth and fame invade the sacred space of our souls?

   Jesus is BOTH a merciful Saviour AND a just Judge.

The God of BOTH Justice AND Mercy

St Ignatius of Loyola, in his autobiography, reminisced that God dealt with him like a schoolmaster with a child. A schoolmaster is a male teacher who imparts knowledge, builds character, directs and disciplines. He is not there to please and to satisfy every whim and fancy of the child.

The meek-and-mild Jesus and the temple-cleansing Jesus is the one same Jesus. In as much as we would like to think Jesus as always gentle, meek and mild, let us not forget that this same Jesus is also the schoolmaster who is strict and serious. This image of the temple-cleansing Jesus is a powerful reminder that while Jesus is gentle, meek and mild, He means business – He is resolute, firm and serious about what He is going to do. He has come to us to cleanse our heart and rid us of the false gods which we have foolishly given power and pride of place.

   Should we then fear Jesus?

St Ignatius of Loyola has this to say, “If the devil tempts me by the thought of Divine Justice, I think of God's Mercy; if the devil tries to fill me with presumption by the thought of God’s Mercy, I think of His Justice."

St Augustine explains that the devil deludes Christians in two ways: ‘by despair and hope’. After we have committed sin, the devil will place before us the rigour of Divine Justice, and tempts us to despair of the Mercy of God. But, before we sin, the devil lures us with the thought of the Divine Mercy, and thus make us fearless of the chastisement due to sin. Hence St Augustine advises that, “After sin, hope for mercy; before sin, fear justice.”

Let us not abuse the Divine Mercy of God, and let us not take Jesus for granted. This Lent, may we experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation with renewed depth to taste the infinite Mercy of God.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Lord Jesus Christ, instil in my heart

   trembling fear of Your Justice,

   unwavering hope for Your Mercy,

   and genuine love for You Heart.”

   [Note: This Gospel reflection was adapted from Porta Fidei, Gospel Reflection, 7 Mar 2021.]