When Religion Loses Its Way

Devotional Reflection, Monday, March 25, 2024

Monday in Holy Week

The Rev. David W. Perkins

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,

    “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?

    But you have made it a den of robbers.’

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 957)

AM Psalm 51:1-18(19-20); PM Psalm 69:1-23

Lam. 1:1-2,6-12; 2 Cor. 1:1-7; Mark 11:12-25

David’s Reflections

Mark enfolds the cleansing of the Temple within the story of the cursing of the fig tree, a narrative technique he has employed earlier in the Gospel (see Mark 5:21-42).  He begins the cursing story, picks up the Temple cleansing, and then concludes the cursing story.  The two stories interrelate and interpret one another.  We can begin grasping what prompted Jesus to cleanse the Temple with a bit of imagination.  Imagine a church building with a square or garden area out front.  Imagine that area clogged with tents and booths for a fund-raiser on Easter Sunday.

The commercialism in the Temple area was concentrated in the Court of the Gentiles, a much less sacred area in the view of Jesus’ fellow Israelites.  Animals for sacrifice were on sale there.  Also, the annual Temple tax was payable only in the coinage of Tyre, which required pilgrims to exchange other currencies for a fee. Those booths also were in this courtyard area.  Jesus’ action of clearing out the booths probably was a symbolic act confined to one part of that rather expansive area.  The biblical prophets often acted out their message in symbolic acts.  Jesus had just done so in the triumphal entry by riding a donkey.  The king rode a donkey when approaching on a mission of peace.

Mark’s narrative interweaves these two symbolic actions.  The fig tree may well have been a symbol for Israel and the cursing of it, an expression of God’s judgment on the religious leadership because of their blindness and rejection of Jesus’ ministry.  That would mean that Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple expresses that same judgment, the future destruction of the Temple and the end of a system of worship that had lost its way and forgotten its purpose.

Jesus quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah.  The Temple was to be a house of prayer for all people, yet the commercialism in the area dedicated to Gentiles hindered their access to the only area in the Temple where they were allowed and revealed a loss of the sense of Israel’s universal mission to be a witness to the Gentiles.  The reference to Jeremiah 7, the Temple as a den of robbers, may have been a direct attack on abuses and exploitation by the animal sellers and moneychangers.

We are called by these interlocking stories to a renewed commitment to the universal mission of the Gospel.  God’s message of saving love must be carried by the church to all people.  Any structural impediments in our ongoing life and worship must be removed.  We must be a “user friendly” people, opening wide our arms to embrace and welcome all who draw near and extending that embrace outside our community in witness and service.  If we extend charity and mercy to anyone in acts of service, we must also welcome and include those very people in our community life and receive their hospitality. Otherwise, we have lost our way.

It is not enough to carry on the priestly work of bandaging wounds and feeding the hungry.  Jesus attacked a system that was exploiting people. We share in his prophetic ministry of resisting and challenging structures within the larger church and within our political and economic institutions that exploit and extort.  That includes prophetic action to extend our evangelism to the restoring of creation. We must follow Jesus into the Court of the Gentiles and join in turning over the tables. To do less makes us complicit with those who exploit and oppress. To do less means we have lost our way.

        John's Gospel quotes Psalm 69 in its version of this act of Jesus, "Zeal for your house has consumed me."  I remember the words of a favorite collect in the liturgy of The Order of Worship for Evening, "Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of ages."  (BCP, p. 113) Living into that prayer will keep our spiritual compasses pointing north; we can’t lost our way.

Collect for the Sunday of the Passion, Palm Sunday

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 219)

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 99)

For a Birthday

Watch over your child, O Lord, as her/his days increase; bless and guide her/him wherever she/he may be. Strengthen her/him when she/he stands; comfort her/him when discouraged or sorrowful; raise her/him up if she/he falls; and in her/his heart may your peace which passes understanding abide all the days of her/his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen  (BCP, 830)

In the Evening

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.   (BCP, 833)

A Collect for Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)

Daily Office Gospel, Mark 11:12-25

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,

    “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?

    But you have made it a den of robbers.’

18And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ 22Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. 23Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. 24So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

25 ‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer