Reading

• First Reading.  Exodus 20:1-17.  In the first reading, God gives the people the ten commandments to keep them people on the path of life. The Ten Commandments are a map of life for a people that has a special relationship with God.

• Second Reading.  1 Corinthians 1:22-25. In the second reading, Paul proclaims that Christ crucified is the revelation of God’s power and wisdom. Paul preached a crucified Christ.  To some the idea made no sense.  To others it was a sign of the wisdom and power of God.
• Gospel.  John 2:13-25.In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple.  This is a prophetic act symbolizing that the Temple establishment is corrupt. By chasing the money changers and sellers of sacrificial animals out of the Temple, Jesus passed judgment on the Jewish system of worship.

Columnist Ann Landers received a letter from a woman.  It began: “Recently you printed a prayer for people who are hearing impaired.  Now will you please print a prayer for people who have to live with these folks?”  The woman went on to say that her 83 year old mother refuses to wear a hearing aid.  It sits on her dresser because she thinks it makes her look old.  As a result, she complains about being left out of conversations.  We’re a lot like that 83 year old woman.  God gave us a conscience, a kind of hearing aid, that enable us to hear him speak to us.  But we turn it off.  Then we complain that God never speaks to us.

RIGHTEOUS ANGER.
The Gospel scene depicts an angry Jesus with a whip in his hand. This image of Jesus doesn’t sit well with the traditional image of a meek and smiling Jesus. It seems to be so out of character with what we know of Jesus from the rest of the Gospels that we might be tempted to dismiss it. It would be a mistake to dismiss it. It shows us that there was another side to Jesus’ character. Of course Jesus was gentle. But that doesn’t mean he was weak. When the occasion demanded it he could be very strong and very assertive.

      Still, it comes as a shock to see Jesus not just angry, but furious. And to see him resort to what looks like a form of violence. We may have been taught that all anger is sinful. But in itself anger is just a feeling, and as such is neither good nor bad morally.

      It’s true that anger is a dangerous thing and can result in us saying or doing things we later regret. But anger can also be a good thing. It can spur us to put right something that is blatantly wrong. There are times when we ought to be angry. An unjust situation should make us angry. Anger can be an expression of love.