The word among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Friday, 29 May 2015
Meditation: Mark 11:11 Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, went into the Temple courts and took a good look at everything; but since it was now late, he went out with the Twelve to Beit-Anyah.
12 The next day, as they came back from Beit-Anyah, he felt hungry. 13 Spotting in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came up to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it wasn’t fig season. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his talmidim heard what he said.
15 On reaching Yerushalayim, he entered the Temple courts and began driving out those who were carrying on business there, both the merchants and their customers. He also knocked over the desks of the money-changers, upset the benches of the pigeon-dealers, 16 and refused to let anyone carry merchandise through the Temple courts. 17 Then, as he taught them, he said, “Isn’t it written in the Tanakh, My house will be called a house of prayer for all the Goyim[a] But you have made it into a den of robbers!”[b] 18 The head cohanim and the Torah-teachers heard what he said and tried to find a way to do away with him; they were afraid of him, because the crowds were utterly taken by his teaching. 19 When evening came, they left the city.
20 In the morning, as the talmidim passed by, they saw the fig tree withered all the way to its roots. 21 Kefa remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi! Look! The fig tree that you cursed has dried up!” 22 He responded, “Have the kind of trust that comes from God! 23 Yes! I tell you that whoever does not doubt in his heart but trusts that what he says will happen can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ and it will be done for him. 24 Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offenses.” 26 [c][Footnotes:
Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7
Mark 11:17 Jeremiah 7:11
Mark 11:26 Some manuscripts include verse 11:26: But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your offenses.”]
8th Week in Ordinary Time
We sometimes read this incident as Jesus’ lashing out at greed and commercialism. This line of thinking may prompt us to make minor adjustments in our lives or spending habits. But really, this would be equivalent to these money changers merely lowering their prices or setting up shop just outside the Temple courts.
However, Jesus’ action is more symbolic and more sweeping. The people who were buying and selling in the Temple may not have been doing anything wrong—especially since the commodities sold there were directly related to the Temple worship. No, the problem wasn’t what they were doing as much as what they weren’t doing. They failed to recognize Jesus as God’s Messiah, the Holy One who had come to make their worship space sacred in a whole new way.
Jesus’ dramatic action certainly intrigued the common people, who came to see what he had to say. It also aroused the anger of those religious leaders who were bent on preserving the status quo and their own position. It drew the attention of both groups to Jesus himself, the answer to their deepest longings.
In the same way, we can become focused on relatively external things in our church—our statues or our sound system, perhaps—and miss what makes each church God’s dwelling place: Jesus present in the Eucharist. We debate over where the tabernacle should be placed and how it should be adorned, but we risk forgetting how we should place ourselves in the presence of the Lord who has chosen to dwell among us.
Next time you walk through the doors of your church, make a conscious effort to recognize Jesus. Once you focus on him both in the tabernacle and in the Eucharistic sacrifice, you will find it easier to enter into heartfelt prayer with all his people. You’ll hear him in the music, however good or bad you think it is. You’ll see him in the stained glass windows. And you’ll touch him in the people around you.
Jesus is waiting for you at every Mass. Come and bow down to him.
“Jesus, you are the way to the Father. Let me enter more fully into your presence.” Amen!
Sirach 44:1, 9-13; Psalm 149:1-6, 9
Sirach 44: Hymn to the ancestors
44 Now allow us to praise
famous people and our ancestors,
generation by generation.[a][Footnotes:
Sirach 44:1 Heb in their generations]
9 For some there is no memory,
and they perished as though
they hadn’t existed.
These have become as though
they hadn’t been born,
they and even their children after them.
10 But these were compassionate people
whose righteous deeds
haven’t been forgotten.
11 This will persist with their children;
their descendants
will be a good legacy.[a]
12 Their descendants stand
by the covenants,
and their children also, for their sake.
13 Their descendants will last forever,
and their glory will never be erased.[Footnotes:
Sirach 44:11 Heb Their goods will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance will be for their grandchildren.]
Psalms 149:1 Halleluyah!
Sing to Adonai a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Isra’el rejoice in their maker,
let Tziyon’s children take joy in their king.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
make melody to him with tambourine and lyre;
4 for Adonai takes delight in his people,
he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the faithful exult gloriously,
let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats,
but a two-edged sword in their hands
9 to execute the judgments decreed for them;
for this will glorify all his faithful.
Halleluyah!
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