Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
One can only imagine the scene! Sheep and oxen and birds going in all directions with money changers scrambling to pick up coins and scales. The noise and chaos must have been considerable! When confronted with the mess he had caused and asked for a sign to prove his authority, Jesus cites himself as the reason, but the Jews and the disciples could not understand it until Jesus rose from the dead. Some interpreters see Jesus' action as one of "replacing" the temple with the "temple of his body." St. Paul would refer to the body of the believer as a temple of the Holy Spirit. [1 Cor 6].
Perhaps Jesus and St. Paul offer us an opportunity to reflect, in Lent, on what we are doing with God's temple - i.e. our very selves. Have we become a "marketplace" for all kinds of things, both religious and non-religious? Are we capable of "policing" ourselves to keep from getting cluttered with secular and devotional distractions? Are we in need of a "cleansing?" The Sacrament of Reconciliation might be a good place to start, but the effort has to be ongoing. The initial "cleansing" might be a little chaotic, but do we need anything or anyone else but God in us? How do we get clean and stay clean? Lent is a good time to come up with a plan so that Holy Week doesn't catch us by surprise!
[click here for the readings of the day]