The Sore Spot of Jesus (reflection for March 19, 2006)

Jesus went to the temple of Jerusalem because the passover of the Jews was near. But he found out that the temple of God was made a marketplace! Jesus was upset, and frustrated. He drove all of them out in the temple area which they used as a market place, Jesus said, "Take all of these out of here and stop making my Father's house a marketplace"

The Gospels generally reveals to us the mild, gentle, caring and compassionate Jesus, to whom the children and the sick, even the lepers would come and won't be afraid to approach. But my question is, "why the violent outburst in todays Gospel?"... In the scriptures, Jesus said, "come to me, you who are heavily burdened and I will give you rest..... for I am gentle of heart"

Jesus was obviously angry that time, and somehow, the sore spot of Jesus was touched. The temple is a sacred place, it is a place of worship and not a place for business. What generally made Jesus angry is that when He saw the temple being used as a marketplace, as I said, the sore spot of Jesus was touched. Maybe there's another thing that made Jesus mad, the exploitation of the people and the immoral use of their power and authority.

We can see in the Gospel how Jesus cleared off the temple in Jerusalem. At times, Jesus is cleaning up ourselves. He is doing to us what he has done in the temple of Jerusalem, He is cleaning up, and driving away the evil that is within ourselves.

Let us allow Christ to cleanse us. It is the Lenten season, it is a good season to repent from your past sins, confess and let Christ cleanse your weary and tired soul.