Word to the Wise
Friday, November 20, 2020 - Friday in the 33th Week in Ordinary Time
[Rev 10:8-11 and Luke 19:45-48]Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, "It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words. [Luke}
Tradition attributes to King Henry II the words, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" when St. Thomas Beckett was confronting him with his behavior. There is no question that Jesus was a charismatic figure who was capable of dramatic deeds that revealed his identity. The problem throughout his ministry, however, was that people focused on the dramatic deeds more than on the identity! By going into the temple during the busy Passover time and interrupting the ordinary course of business - namely birds and animals sold for sacrifice and currency exchange tables for paying temple taxes - Jesus truly created a royal mess, and enraged the "powers-that-be" who made their living off the whole temple reality. How could they get rid of him? The ordinary people were "hanging on his words." (I looked up the Greek verb "to hang" and the English is a literal translation!)
This would be an interesting scene at any time, but it applies to us now. When Jesus enters our temple and disrupts our lives with his teaching, do we try to get rid of him or replace him with a Jesus of our own designs? Much, if not all, of Jesus' teachings run counter to certain cultural and political realities of our own country! Pastors of all Christian churches have had the experience of parishioners accusing them of "preaching politics" from the pulpit when they show the implications of the gospel for certain cherished cultural or political practices. The chief priests, scribes and leaders of the people in Jerusalem were continually worried about "What will the Romans think?" Their hypocritical use of religious law to maintain a convenient political arrangement for themselves comes under continual criticism from Jesus.
If the preaching of Pope Francis or your bishop or local pastor disturbs your temple, maybe it's time to look and see if cultural or political "thieves" have crept in and corrupted the place! Getting rid of Jesus' teachings or replacing them with ideas that are more in keeping with one's political/cultural prejudices or fears is a recipe for ultimate sorrow! cf. Matt. 25:31-45} Jesus is one "turbulent priest!" AMEN