Raise it UP

Third Sunday of Lent

“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:18)

Reflection

Many people think this passage is all about how angry Jesus can get.  Here he is in the Temple knocking over tables.  He stirred things UP quite a bit, but they don’t say he was angry.  He may be UPsetting the money changers.  He may be fed UP.  He is certainly worked UP.  But none of the Gospels writers say that he was angry.  He did not lose control nor his temper, but he did something people would remember.

He wanted to change things, and if we look at the verbs, we know one thing … he was direct!
   He drove them with a whip.
   He spilled the coins / he overturned tables
   Using his voice, he commanded, he directed.
   Take these out of here.    Stop making this a marketplace.

He was not angry but direct.  He had not anger but ZEAL. He was on fire and quite imperative.  He wanted to take his ministry seriously, and he was direct. Maybe you too remember a time in your life when you decided to be direct. To take seriously your identity and change the way things are done.  No more beating around the bush.  No wishy-washy behavior.  Be direct.  Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

What does the cleansing of YOUR Temple mean in your life?

Maybe it means being direct about raising your life to a better standard.
   To pray using words like stop, look, and listen.
   To give up anything that directs you away from God.
   To lift up your eyes and hearts through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.
   To get down to business and own up to your Catholic faith.
   To overturn the table on worries and complaints just for one day.
   To SHAPE UP this temple of the holy spirit.  Your body.
   To throw out of your temple that which is sinful and self-centered.
   To direct your attention to one or two of the commandments.
   To look up to those stations on the wall and take one or two more seriously.
   To get back up, like Jesus who fell a second and third time, and try again.

No anger, just passion.