Monday of Holy Week
Yesterday in church I encouraged everyone to follow the Passion story through the week before we gather again on Sunday to celebrate the ressurection of Easter Day. I thought I’d jot down some reflections of my meditations this week as an aid and as a devotion
Monday: Mark 11: 12-19
Monday was a busy day for Jesus. In the Mark narrative I sense frustration and even righteous anger as Jesus curses a tree and drove people out of the Temple. Perhaps this was release from the fact that yesterday the crowd cheered Him in in triumph but would turn on Him later in the week. Yesterday Jesus visited the Temple only to have a look around, once He slept on it He decided that something had to give.
When Jesus was running amok in the Temple what were the crowds thinking? Was this political revolution? Did they point Him towards the Roman Palaces? Did they feel He was overreacting? After all, money changing was a necessity not a luxury to buy sacrificial animals and to pay the Temple tax. But these people were dishonest with their ridiculous exchange rates and mark up in price, they provided a service but ripped everyone off. I feel on this Monday that Jesus went after false religion dressed up as piety. The fig tree is a symbol of a fruitless faith, the money-lenders a sign of dishonent religious practise.
The people were amazed but the religious authorities were angry, the teachers of the Law were angry. Was it their hypocrisy that Jesus was exposing? Was it too much for them at such a religious time? I think it was. But they did understand one thing that is true throughout time. He who controls the masses or the mob is he who wields power and authority. No wonder they wanted Him dead.