Reading for Today: Mark 11:15-19 RSV updated
“Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive
Out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple…” Mark 11: 15
This passage from the gospel makes for a dramatic scene in Biblical movies, especially since it appears to be out of character with the image of Jesus as “meek and mild”, an active critic of violent action. But we are left feeling that his behavior is justified because he was “cleansing” the temple. He was demanding that the corruption which was taking place be cast out and the true, ultimate purpose of the Temple be restored as a “house of prayer for all nations”. He was asking people to remember who they were and what they were “called” to do in place of what they were doing.
We need to remember that these moneychangers and sellers of animals were originally there to sell items to be offered up in sacrifice. They served the highest purpose of the Temple, one focused on the acts of prayer and worship. This was what they were “called” to be; people who enabled others to reach out to the presence of the Divine through the ritual sacrifices that were acts of worship in their day. But through time they had simply become businessmen, focused only on their profit motive rather than their “higher calling”. Jesus, in a dramatic gesture, reminds them it is time to put things back into proper perspective.
That is really one of the major purposes of LENT. It is a time for each of us to consider our actions and put them into their proper perspective as people of faith. Like the money changers, it is easy to get caught up in our day-to-day activities to a degree that we forget the meaning and purpose of our lives as followers of the Christ. We forget our “calling” to live as Jesus called his disciples to live, i.e. to “Love one another as I have loved you”. As his followers, we are called to be the ongoing incarnation of that “Love” through our actions.
Certainly, while this can involve major things like giving to charity or serving as a volunteer at a service organization, there are also many small ways to make God’s love a reality to others. My wife does this by simply calling people by their name at the grocery store or bank [look at those name tags they wear], a reminder to them that they are not simply a “function” but a “person of worth” to be appreciated for their help to us. I have a friend who tells people “thanks for your smile” when they serve him in a restaurant [and they actually smile], a reminder that their service makes an important impact on those they serve. Each day we interact with people at home, at work or school and have the power to play a role in helping them experience that Love that was first embodied in Christ.
Reflections 