This is perhaps one of the most dramatic scenes in the gospels, portraying Jesus’ righteous anger. Dramatic, because in today’s world, if someone were to do the things that Jesus did, they would be breaking the law and could be promptly arrested. In John’s gospel, the cleansing of the temple follows immediately after the first miracle of Jesus’ public ministry at the Wedding at Cana, where his disciples believed in Him to be the Son of God. The “sign” performed by Jesus at the Wedding at Cana, and now his actions at the temple, prompted the disciples to remember what was written, “Zeal for thy house will consume me”. It helps to understand that Jesus was not anti-temple but anti-exploitation. He acknowledges the temple built by human hands as His Father’s house and insists that it be treated with the reverence due the house of the Lord. And in saying this, Jesus also reveals that His body is the new temple, the living “Temple”. Eventually Jesus’ zeal alienates the religious leaders and leads to His crucifixion.
We may begin to ask ourselves, was Jesus condemning the Jewish leaders, the money-lenders and traders? And how is this relevant today? Jesus was seeking to correct their behaviour, remind them of their responsibility and save their souls. The relevance of Jesus’ actions in our lives today is connected to St. Paul’s epistles to the Corinthians, where he writes that our bodies are the temples too – the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (1Cor3:16). If then our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, do we have the same zeal and reverence towards this living temple? Are we able to speak up against the injustice and dishonour that is prevalent towards this temple today?
Recently, in response to the Government’s plans to amend Victoria’s ‘assisted dying’ laws, the Bishops of Victoria have written to their congregations, asking that they contact their local Members of Parliament to urge them to vote against the proposed laws. This act by our Bishops, brings to life the “zeal” that we as Christians are called to foster and exemplify, reflecting our Lord’s own example. Are we being indifferent to our suffering brethren by voting against this law? On the contrary, those who suffer should never be a burden, but it is a call to serve by caring for them, giving them the love, respect and dignity they deserve as dwelling places of God. In the words of St. John Paul II- “True ‘compassion’ leads to sharing another’s pain, it does not kill the person whose suffering we cannot bear.” And as St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta described it, she saw the “face of Christ” in every sick person and created a loving dignified environment for them.
Desecration of this living temple is not limited to that of life alone. Our behaviour centred on negative attitudes, misuse of social media for gossip and defamation, impatience and intolerant of others’ weaknesses, refusal to seek or grant forgiveness, or being ungracious with our words, we are potentially destroying the temple of God.
We are challenged by this gospel today in so many ways. To reflect further, do we confuse, “compassion” with “compromise”? St Augustine writes, Letter 211, “Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum”- which translates, “With love for mankind and hatred for sins.” Over time, this has become “love the sinner and hate the sin”. Here, I find myself thinking as a parent, the many times I have corrected my children so that they remain on the right path. We love our children, so we correct them when required. We know that sin leads to death (James1:15), and we love the sinner by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Jesus’ righteous anger at the temple, reflects the love He has for us, His children. When He brings us into correction it can often be uncompromisingly difficult and challenging for us. However, His grace is sufficient for us.
Today as we remember the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the early Christians continue to inspires us by their courage. Like them, we too are called to glorify the Lord as His chosen vessels and live in a way that honours His presence within us, embracing our identity as God’s living temple. Living with this understanding allows us to share our faith and encourage one another, creating a vibrant community of believers shinning, the light of Christ, in a world needing HOPE.
