John 2:13-22
In the Gospel according to John, the story of Jesus’ cleansing of the temple of those who corrupted the sacred space with profiteering and cheating comes early, partially laying groundwork for what follows as John unfolds the story of who Jesus is. In Mark, Matthew, and Luke, the story appears near the end of Jesus’ life and is part of the emotional escalator that leads religious authorities to want to be rid of him. In either case, Jesus is shown with the emotion of anger at what he saw instead of what should be holiness and righteousness.
Rev. Peter Wallace, a son of Johnson Memorial, has written a book titled The Passionate Jesus: What We Can Learn from Love, Fear, Grief, Joy, and Living Authentically. He describes the various emotions experienced and displayed by Jesus.
In the text prescribed for the third Sunday of Lent, it is Jesus’ anger that dominates the emotionally charged story.
Many will remember with smiles the “I Love Lucy” series. While the program had old culturally traditional male-female portrayals, the episodes always ended with a loving emotion between Lucy and Desi. In most shows, Lucy got into some predicament, and the emotions of everyone in the program ran the gamut. Desi would often be angry and could be heard saying, “Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do.”
This holy season of the year offers a time of self-examination and reflection. If Jesus were to enter our lives today, as he entered the temple centuries ago, what would he find? What emotion would Jesus have as he observes and experiences our minds and hearts? When Jesus says to us, “You’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do,” what is our response? Are there parts of our lives that give us pause at the thought of needing to explain to God? Does the thought cross your mind: “How am I going to explain this one to God?” Perhaps it is a way of thinking, a behavior, a bias or prejudice, a hardness of heart, a failure to forgive.
Take some time as we prepare for the great festival of Easter and the promise of resurrection to engage in some self-examination. Be honest with yourself and God. Offer to God those things that might rightly draw the Lord’s wrath. Don’t make that offering with fear of God’s reprisal but, instead, make it in response to a loving God who seeks a relationship with us that is marked by wholeness and righteousness. Desi would display anger with Lucy, but he always embraced her with love. We might expect God to be angry with us, but God’s mercy and love always trump what we might rightly deserve. Thanks be to God for unending love.
Holy God: give us the will to be honest with ourselves and you. Let us name those things that separate us from your ways. In naming our sin, we place our wrongs before you with a desire to turn toward your desires for us. Restore us to the paths of righteousness. Thank you for your merciful love. We pray in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Rev. Jack Lipphardt
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