The Cost of Betrayal

 

Wednesday of Holy Week

Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 69; Matthew 26:14-25

“What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”
Matthew 26:15

Spy Wednesday!  Have you heard of it?  Many have not.  It’s what this day was traditionally called.  It is named for the fact that it was on this day that Judas Iscariot went to the Jewish authorities to negotiate a deal to betray Jesus.  Why did he do it?  There have been several speculations.  Some say it was because Judas had zealot leanings and was disillusioned with Jesus’ non-violent approach rather than the military hero for which he hoped.  Others think that it was because Judas was a thief and was more in love with money than his own soul.  Some believe it had something to do with the incident with Mary pouring the expensive oil on Jesus’ feet.  He just didn’t understand Jesus’ perspective.  The scripture is unclear as to motive, but unequivocal as to action.  Whatever the reason, Judas made the decision to betray our Lord. 

Scripture is equally clear about what it cost Judas.  He was paid 30 pieces of silver, which is the price of a slave.  In remorse he returned the money.  Then he went out and hung himself.  Scripture becomes rather graphic on this point.  Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood, [Acts 1:18, 19].  Perhaps less clear is the pronouncement of his end: … Judas turned aside, to go to his own place, [Acts 1:25].  What is “his own place”?  Is it a reference to hell?  Quite possible.  We cannot be sure.  However, we see that betrayal of the Lord is terribly costly.

It’s the same story from the Garden to the present day.  The Evil One whispers lies in our ears to make sin seem so enticing.  In that moment there’s nothing we want more and all reason flies from us.  But in the end there is remorse and guilt.  If we aren’t careful, we can take the same path as Judas.

Look at Judas’ question again: “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”  It echoes a question Jesus once asked: “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” [Matthew 16:26].  How much is your soul worth to you?  What is its price?  Can it be easily traded away for temporary pleasure or gain? 

We betray the Lord constantly.  We choose sin over Him.  In so doing we become partners with those who crucified our Lord.  He died for the very sins we are committing.  Perhaps we think that everyone does this, and we can’t help it.  But the truth is that we can do something about it.  We can turn to the Lord in the moment of our temptation and pray for the way of escape which He is willing to provide us.  He will, furthermore, fortify us with all the grace necessary to do battle so that we may be victorious.

The saints stand in stark contrast to Judas.  They chose the hard road of the cross and triumphed.  When we are tempted to walk in the way of Judas; in the way of betrayal, they remind us that we have another option.

We are on the cusp of the Sacred Triduum.  This is the perfect time to make our heart right with God.  Seek Him out.  Hide nothing.  Tell Him freely of all your sins- and your desire to sin.  Allow His mercy to forgive you, His grace to fortify you, and His love to envelope you. 

Rise, dear child of God.  Flee the company of Judas and seek that of the saints.  Let us take up our cross and follow Jesus.  He is going before us to die!

 

Betrayal or Denial

 

Tuesday of Holy Week

Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 71; John 13:21-33, 36-38

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
John 13:21-22

Today’s Gospel juxtaposes Judas and Peter.  One betrayed the Lord.  The other denied Him.  In both cases no one suspected such things would be done.  Perhaps, least of all, those who were doing it. 

Betrayal or denial; which is worse?  Certainly betrayal!  Denial is a momentary lapse of weakness.  Betrayal is premeditated and intentional.  It is notable in today’s Gospel that it records there was a moment for Judas when “Satan entered him.”  Such a thing is not recorded of Peter. 

We deny the Lord when we have momentary lapses of weakness.  We betray the Lord when we know what we are doing and we choose it anyway. 

Betrayal or denial; are either unforgiveable?  No.  Then why does Judas end in suicide and Peter ends in martyrdom as the first Pope?  One simple reason: Judas in despair fled from the Lord.  Peter, in remorse, returned and sought forgiveness.  If Judas had followed the same course as Peter I have no doubt he would have been forgiven, restored, and gone on to do great things in the kingdom just like Peter.

How do we respond to the failings in our life?  Like Peter, or like Judas?  The enemy of our souls will goad you into sinning and then condemn you for doing it.  He will at first whisper the lie that it’s no big deal and other Christians are doing the same.  Then once you have believed the lie and gone into sin he will scream at you that you are no Christian and you should just give up.  I have no doubt that’s exactly what Judas heard.  I suspect it’s what Peter heard as well. 

But our Lord is so merciful that He is willing to forgive all crimes against him, no matter how heinous.  Murder, abortion, adultery, theft, lies, slander, pornography, and a host of others are all forgivable.  The only sin that is not forgivable is the sin that remains unconfessed.  If we choose to flee from the mercy of the Lord and die in a state of mortal sin then we will be lost like Judas.  As long as we draw breath, there is no sin greater than our Lord’s sacrifice to pay for it.  Love conquers sin. 

Today, especially in this holy season, do not allow any sin to remain unconfessed.  Seek out a priest to make confession.  If that is not possible, make a perfect act of contrition, which is to be sorry for your sin not because of its consequences, but because it offends a good and loving God who deserves all our love and devotion. 

He is waiting for you- as surely as He waited for Judas and Peter.  Don’t make the mistake of Judas and flee.  Come like Peter to be forgiven, restored, and filled with grace for the mission for which you were created and called into Christ!

Be A Mary of Bethany!

 

Monday of Holy Week

Isaiah 42:1-7; Psalm 27; John 12:1-11

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 
John 12:3

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany.  This is Monday in Holy Week.  Jesus is staying in Bethany, a town about 2 miles southeast of Jerusalem.  According to St. Mark’s Gospel it was here that the disciples found the donkey He rode on into Jerusalem and they returned here after the events of Palm Sunday.  According to St. John, Jesus is staying with His friends, Lazarus, and his sisters, Mary and Martha.  This is the same Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead.  And this is the same Mary and Martha who were known for waiting and listening at Jesus’ feet [Mary] and being busy with work and details [Martha]. 

Something stunning and amazing happens here.  Mary is so moved by Jesus’ presence that she does something extraordinary.  She takes some very costly oil and anoints the feet of Jesus.  Then she wipes them with her own hair. The humility and extravagance of the act are striking.  Humility is seen in her stooping to anoint Jesus’ feet.  Extravagance is seen in that the oil is very costly.  What motivates the action?  Was it in gratitude for the restoration of the life of her brother?  Was it deeper?  Did Mary see through eyes of faith that Jesus was indeed the Son of the living God, the Messiah?  Did she understand that He must die?  We cannot know what was in her heart and the Gospels are silent on the issue.  But her action demonstrates the deep love of the contemplative soul.

Mary is seemingly oblivious to those around her; perhaps even to the stinging rebuke from Judas.  Jesus interprets it in light of the extraordinary events to come.  “Let her keep this for the day of my burial.”  We see in chapter 19 of St. John’s Gospel that such oil, or something similar, was used in Jewish burial practices as this is what they did for our Lord when they took Him down from the cross.

Let’s return to this moment with Mary.  St. John comments, “The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”  I’m sure he meant that literally.  But let us consider some spiritual implications.

The word, “Christ”, means “Anointed One”.  We who take this name- Christians- become the anointed ones.  We are anointed literally in Baptism and Confirmation.  But spiritually it is a reference to our identification with Christ and our anointing from the Holy Spirit.  Then shouldn’t we live lives filled with this anointing?  And if that is the case, could it be said of us that the fragrance of that anointing fills the places where we are?  As St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,” [2 Co. 2:15].

Now notice the criticism of Judas.  This reminds us that there will always be critics.  And too often they come from religious leadership where one would naturally count on finding support rather than criticism.  Pay it no mind.  Jesus didn’t.  Mary didn’t.  Extravagant love and worship are more important. 

There is a great deal of difference between doing something to be seen of others and the extravagant love that is so focused on the Lord that it doesn’t care who sees it.  Only we can know our own motives.  So criticism of others runs into sketchy territory.  If we are all focused on worship, we won’t have time to be critical of others.

You can get put out because the Mass isn’t done exactly as you think it should be.  Or you can offer God the best Mass you are capable of offering.  The former is to identify with Judas and the latter with Mary.  I will freely confess I have too often been in the Judas camp.  I want to be with Mary!

We should also note that we cannot allow criticisms to keep us from offering the extravagant worship that is so pleasing to God.  When our hearts are right and all we desire is to show Him our great love, this is pleasing to God. 

I find it significant that such an event took place at the outset of what we now call Holy Week.  I think it characterizes the spirit of worship that should be ours.  Let’s not fuss about how long the Triduum liturgies are or find excuses for missing them.  Rather, let us devote extra time and attention to them and enter with our Lord into these sacred events. 

Spend an hour of prayer after the Holy Thursday liturgy, if possible in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament at the altar of repose.  Spend an hour- or three- from noon to 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday in prayer and reflection.  Attend the Easter Vigil.  Arrive early.  Spend time in prayer shrouded in darkness in anticipation of all that is to follow.  Let your heart be immersed in the deepest love for Jesus whose heart was so moved with love for us that He gave Himself on the cross.

Let us be a Mary of Bethany- humble, loving, adoring, and unafraid of the cost of true devotion!

The Death of the Cross

 

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Year B

Mark 11:1-10

Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47

He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8

It all comes down to this!

We have walked through this season of Lent, which has been characterized by prayer, fasting, and sacrifices.  Its culmination begins today.  This is Holy Week, the most sacred time in the Church liturgical calendar.  This week we will re-live the events that took our Lord from the triumph of His entry into Jerusalem through the betrayal of one of His own apostles, the Last Supper, and the horror of the crucifixion into the wonder of the resurrection.  Even though we know the end of the story, I invite you to enter into each moment as if you were there; as if you were living through it for the first time.  Allow the events of this week to permeate the depths of your soul.  You will find it intersecting with what is actually happening currently in our lives.

Today has always struck me as the oddest day of the Church year.  We begin in jubilation and finish in sober silence.  To say it’s an emotional roller-coaster is an understatement.  Why does the Church give us such contrasting viewpoints in a single liturgy?  Because that’s what this week is all about. Today it is laid out for us as a panorama.  But as we continue through the week we will enter into the moments making it up.

What did this week mean for Jesus?  He knew His death was imminent.  From all appearances He longed for this week and dreaded it at the same time.  The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews says, “For the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross,” [Heb. 12:2].  This was the entire reason for His coming to earth.  His mission culminates here.  But it will be agonizing.  It will be humiliating.  Before Easter, there must be Good Friday.  The way to everlasting life leads through the cross and there is no sidestepping it. 

If you and I had the same perspective as Jesus would we embrace our trials and sufferings more?  Would we glory in the cross, knowing it is purging us of the dross of sin and fitting us to be citizens of heaven? 

This is where St. Paul’s wonderful hymn in his Letter to the Philippians comes in.  Notice the path of humility that precedes the path of glory. 

Jesus was in very deed God.  Yet, He chose to become human.  That’s a serious step down.  To grasp it we would need to consider what it would be like to become an amoeba.  The step down from divinity to humanity is much greater than that.

But then, not content with that, our Lord further humbles Himself.  He hands Himself over to men.  And not just any men, but the worst kind of men.  The men who will justify themselves while they commit the most egregious crimes.  The men who truly thought their actions were pleasing to God. 

Again, not satisfied to merely humble Himself to die, but listen to St. Paul’s language: even the death of the cross.  Why is that the final step in the path of humiliation?

We all know we will die someday.  However, we may hold onto hopes that we may die in a way that is palatable.  “I want to die peacefully.”  “I want to die quickly.”  “I want to die in my sleep.”  “I want to die gloriously.”  These are just some of the things we think to ourselves.  Jesus dispels it all.  He will die in the most inglorious, humiliating, painful, and agonizing way possible. He will be esteemed as cursed of God, and He will seemingly die alone and forsaken by both God and men.  That is the death of the cross.

To what are we still clinging so desperately?  Are we holding out for some ambition?  Some life’s dream or goal?  Is it for our own “bucket list”?  What illusion keeps us thinking that perhaps we have a better idea than God and that is why we can justify not embracing the cross in our own lives?  Holy Week is intended to utterly demolish any such false notions.  And that is a very good thing.

Again, I invite you to walk through the events of this Week as if you were living them for the first time.  Let it become your prayer.  There are so many things the Lord would reveal to us if we would put aside the props and distractions of our lives so we can get quiet and listen for His voice.

I guarantee you this: that the joy of your Easter will be in direct proportion to the degree to which you have embraced the cross.  This is true both in time and eternity. 

There are too many who are content to simply jump from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.  They want the easy path of least resistance.  They want a cross-less victory.  Such a thing is impossible.  For this flesh cannot inherit eternal life.  If our sin is not purged then we will not be ready for heaven.  Since that is true, let us endure the agony of the cross in our own lives- however it may appear- so that we will have the rest of eternity in the glory of heaven.

With these thoughts I invite you to join me as we walk with our Lord through the events of Holy Week.  Cling not to the passing adulation of the crowds.  The sound of their praises will fade away and before you will lay bare the way of the cross.  Fear not!  This is the way of the Master.  Should not the disciple tread it still?

Glory!

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Year B

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51; Hebrew 5:7-9; John 12:20-33

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
John 12:23

Read that verse again.  This is the time for the Son of Man to be glorified.  What would we expect to come next?  We expect the sounding of trumpets, the angels to sing, and to see a worldwide conversion to Christ.  What do we get?  Talk about the cross.  Jesus’ point of view was that He would be glorified by going to the cross.  I dare say that is definitely not our point of view.

If I offered to anyone the opportunity to be glorified, never would they equate that with a public execution.  Perhaps this is the issue right here.  We don’t have Jesus’ perspective.

I have often remarked that in the kingdom of God everything is topsy-turvy from what it is in the kingdoms of this world.  Here, the last are first, the poor are rich, the foolish are wise, and the one who lays down his life will live forever.  It’s virtually the opposite of how we see everything.  And herein lies the key to discipleship.  Christ calls us to “Repent,” which means that we must completely re-think, and re-learn, everything.

We are approaching the tail end of Lent.  Next week begins Holy Week and then Easter.  We are that close.  But there are still lessons to be learned.  Foremost, is that the message of the cross is not just for Lent.  It’s for a lifetime.  Lent emphasizes it because we need an annual reminder.  But it is something we are to be living every day.

Why so much fuss about the cross?

Sin has marred everything.  When we were created in Paradise we were intended to be the offspring of God who lived holy and communed with Him in unbroken fellowship.  But after sin entered the world nothing was as it was intended.    

Now, if we are to be brought back to God, it must be on the line of the cross.  We must die to our old life of sin if we are to be raised in the new, divine life that God has for us.  This dying must be daily.  In fact, it is moment by moment.  To choose the cross is to deny our sinful passions.  It is to bring them to God for the remedy of His grace, gained through sacrament and prayer.

This is the spiritual combat immortalized by the saints.  Here there is glory.  For as with the combatants of old, the victor attains glory.  And our only path to victory is by way of the cross.  Sin cannot be accommodated, nor controlled.  It must be crucified.

The death of the cross leads to the glory of the resurrection.  We can know both simultaneously.  But our faith only becomes sight after death; indeed after the general judgment when we are reunited, body and soul, and enter into eternal glory.

There are no shortcuts here and there is no opportunity for cheating.  The just Judge of all beholds our every action and knows our every thought.  Only the one who truly lays down his life will recover it again. 

Glory!  Is that how we see this closing season of Lent?  Don’t let these last days escape you.  Redouble your efforts.  If there has been failure, seek forgiveness and mercy.  If there has been victory, beware arrogance and humble yourself so that God’s grace may prevail.

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”  Let us not fear walking with him through this hour.  Our Lord is our pattern, but He is also our defender.  He shows the way and He fights for us as we place our trust in Him.  If we suffer with Him, we will be glorified with Him.  Let your Lent have its perfect work.  Then take your lessons and your victories into Easter!

Rejoice Early!

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Year B

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21

Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, 
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
2 Chronicles 36:15

Today is known as “Laetare Sunday”.  Laetare means “rejoice” and is taken from the first word of the opening antiphon.  On this Fourth Sunday of Lent we rejoice as we are drawing nearer to the Sacred Triduum and Easter.  Our first reading offers us something unique.

The Book of 2 Chronicles tells the story of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  Throughout their history they had alternately served the Lord with fervor, or gone after idols with equal fervor.  God continually sent his prophets to warn the people that they needed to turn back to Him.  But they refused.  Finally, God brought judgment in the form of the Babylonian Empire who came and defeated the Israelites, leading them captive to Babylon.  That sets the context for today’s Psalm.  We hear the mourning as they find themselves in a foreign land.

However, the anger of the Lord does not last forever, and in time He brought His people out of Babylon to return to Jerusalem.  This is actually the focus of the reading today as we hear of the joy of God’s mercy.

St. Paul echoes this theme when he recounts for us the life of grace that has been given to us in the 2^nd chapter of his letter to the Ephesians.  God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —, raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.  That’s good news!  Even though, like the Israelites, we had rebelled against God and were deserving of His wrath, God chose mercy and offered us His grace so that we could become His children and live eternally blessed in Christ.

In the Gospel we hear that classic verse known throughout the world, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  Again, we see that God’s love was so great that He went to every length possible to forgive our sins and grant us eternal life.

I find this theme particularly prominent in our first reading when we read that, Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them.  This notion of early catches my attention. 

Think about what is implied in that phrase.  God didn’t procrastinate.  He didn’t tend to other things first.  He didn’t put this off.  This was the first thing on His agenda day by day.  Early in the morning he sent his prophets to His wayward people.  This shows the priority.  And it shows with what love and patience the Lord is willing to deal with us.

Note also as the verse continues we read, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.  The reason God was so persistent in sending the prophets was that it was His intention to show compassion.  Love drove Him to this every day.

And how did the people respond?  Well, we can’t be exactly sure, but the possibilities range from a yawn of indifference to more willful defiance.  What we do know is that the people did not listen to the repeated warnings of the Lord as given by His prophets.

Sound familiar?  Who of us wants to be preached at… especially first thing in the morning?  We don’t want anyone telling us we’re doing something wrong, or worse, that we will face God’s judgment if we continue.  Then as now, the response is often, “Mind your own business and stop judging me!”  We don’t see God’s warnings as a sign of His compassion and we usually don’t regard His messengers very well as a result.

But if we heed the word of the Lord then we reap the benefits and blessings He desires to bring us.  I suggest that the same phraseology of “early” should characterize our response.

Let’s not put off our repentance.  God has given us this season of Lent to be a blessing.  It’s not about our sacrifices and our penances.  It’s about God’s mercy.  Let’s receive what He’s offering, and let’s do it “early”.

How do we do so?  Make your first priority in your day prayer.  Before you do anything else, begin your day with prayer.  Offer yourself to God, at least for a few minutes, in prayer every day.  If you are able to attend Mass, then do that.  Even go “early”.  If you haven’t been to confession for a while, go as soon as possible.  Don’t put it off any longer.  Have you been living in a way that you know does not please God?  Then change it- today!  Go to God and ask His forgiveness.  Receive the mercy which He has offered you “early” and then go on with His grace to the newness of life He intends.

Our God comes to us “early” so He can offer us His blessings.  As we receive them we have great cause for rejoicing!  “Laetare!”  “Rejoice!”  For God is coming to us in His compassion, His mercy, and His love!

 

Is God Angry?

 

Third Sunday of Lent

Year B

Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8-11; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25

Zeal for your house will consume me.
John 2:17

The story of Jesus cleansing the Temple is both fascinating and puzzling.  It seems so out of line with virtually everything else we read about Jesus in the Gospels.  This is the same Jesus who taught us the ways of non-violence and non-resistance; “Turn the other cheek… go the extra mile… love your enemies… be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful.”  Yet, there can be no question that this incident also factors into the life and teaching of Jesus.  What are we to make of it?

Let’s take a look at the story.  It is recorded in all four Gospels.  That is significant and alone is a reason for further investigation.  In the other three Gospels this story takes place during Holy Week.  John places it at the very beginning of his Gospel.  Theologians are divided as to the reason for this.  Were there actually two cleansings of the Temple?  That seems highly unlikely.  Perhaps John has placed the story here for theological purposes even though it likely took place during Holy Week.  That seems more plausible to me.  I propose that the story is a way of pointing to what Jesus would accomplish at the cross, but John chooses to place it at the outset of the Gospel to demonstrate what Jesus will do throughout His life and ministry.

As we look at the story itself, Jesus enters Jerusalem.  We know from St. Luke’s account that Jesus was in the habit of coming here yearly with his family.  When He was 12 we have the famous story of Him being in the Temple and conversing with the religious leaders.  Mark adds a bit of perspective to the story.  He notes that when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday He went into the Temple and looked around.  Then He left [Mk. 11:11].  This proposes the idea that Jesus was not merely having an emotional tirade, but rather that it was calculated and intentional.

There’s another very interesting aspect to this story.  In our Gospel today we hear toward the end of the passage, “While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.”  Matthew’s account says something similar. Immediately after the cleansing event, we read there, “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them,” [Mt. 21:14].  So both John and Matthew corroborate the idea of miracles and healing following the cleansing of the Temple.  Luke offers a slightly different perspective when he notes, “And he was teaching daily in the temple,” [Lu. 19:47].  Taken together, it appears that after the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus immediately began to teach, to heal, and to perform miracles.    

What should we make of it all?

First, let’s deal with this idea of an angry God.  Is it some obscure aspect that has been historically and traditionally misunderstood?  Many moderns would say yes.  But that dismisses a lot of information given to us about God. 

Is God angry?  St. Paul, writing to the Romans, says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.”  We see this illustrated in numerous places in the Old Testament where God judges individuals and nations- even Israel- when they remain steadfast in their sins and refuse to repent.  We see it illustrated in our Lord in this passage today.  And we have numerous New Testament references to the Day of Judgment in which those who remain impenitent will be sentenced to eternal punishment.

On the flip side, it is worth noting that “his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime,” [Ps. 30:5] and “His mercy endures forever,” [Ps. 118:1].  How are we to reconcile these ideas?

First, let’s do away with the simplistic notion of choosing one over the other.  We must deal with the fact that both of these aspects are part of who God is.  Second, let’s understand that it is the love and mercy of God which are more prominent and usual.  If we humbly seek Him, even in spite of our many failings, He is ever waiting to forgive and restore us in love.  However, let us also reckon on the sobering truth that wrath is part of that equation and it is a part that we do well to consider.  If there’s no place in your theology for a God of wrath then you are worshiping a false god.

Why is Jesus angry in the story?  Because sin and hypocrisy have invaded the house of God to such an extent that everyone considers it to be normal.  It is His zeal for the house of God that purges it of what defiles and restores it to its intended purpose- to be a place for the truth and the power of God.  So then, what is meant by the house of God?  I propose three applications.

First, we are the house of God.  We are the Temple.  When sin and hypocrisy become normative in our lives God is angry.  He is not necessarily angry with us, but rather He is angry that we have become defiled and His intention for our lives is marred.  Remember, God hates sin in his children for the same reason that parents hate cancer in their children- because left unchecked it will kill.  So God comes in His wrath to destroy the sin in our lives and restore us to a place where we can hear His voice, learn His truth, and experience His healing and miraculous power.

Second, the Church is the house of God.  Like Israel of old, we are the people of God.  We are held to a higher standard.  God expects us to be a holy people who demonstrate His praise and are the ambassadors of His love.  When sin and hypocrisy become normative here God is angry.  He pours out His wrath in ways meant to purge and purify us so we can be what He intends.  I personally believe this is what lies behind the exposure of the priesthood scandal.  Are we listening?  Are we repenting?  Are we cleansing ourselves of the unrighteous leaven so that Jesus can teach, heal, and show His power on our behalf?

Finally, the house of God is the world.  God made this world, and the people in it, to be holy.  But sin has marred God’s creation.  While beauty persists, there is much that mars the creation.  Sin and hypocrisy have become normative.  We have all accepted it and we live with it.  And worse, we are content to live with it in ourselves.  But God is not.  Only that which is holy will inherit eternal life.  God will rightly judge those who remain impenitent.  His wrath will be revealed in the Day of Judgment.  While many of us find that entire idea abhorrent, the truth is we wouldn’t really have it any other way.  For what if heaven was just like here?  Then who would want to go?  Don’t we want the heaven of our dreams where there is no sin, no sickness, no pain, and no death?  Then sin must be completely purged and that means that those who love their sin more than God cannot go there.

Now, what will we do?  I propose a dangerous suggestion: allow the angry young Jewish Rabbi to come and cleanse your Temple.  It will be painful.  It will literally upset all that you hold dear.  But you are imprisoned.  You are still bound by sin.  And our loving God yearns with great zeal to set us free.  Let Him in.  Let Him turn the place upside down… and then watch as He restores it to right-side up.  Watch as He makes your life a place of truth, power, and the awesome presence of God!