On this day of Holy Week, Jesus entered the temple-and found it full of merchants and money changers who had turned a sacred space into a marketplace.
With righteous boldness, He cleared them out, saying, "My house is the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).
After restoring reverence to the temple, Christ stayed and taught those who were willing to hear Him.
Holy Monday invites us to examine our own hearts. Are there things we've let in that distract us from Him?
Just as He cleansed the temple, He cleanses us.
Let us go to Jesus in prayer and ask for forgiveness for our mixed priorities, our lack of faithfulness, and our rampant greed and selfishness.
Let us also rejoice in the renovation Jesus does in our heart through the Holy Spirit and our baptismal identity, removing the clutter and establishing his reign deep into our heart. Because of his grace, he removes our sin, he drives the demons from our soul, and he brings us into true worship of the Father without fear. This is only possible through the righteousness of God we too possess through Christ. Thanks be to God!
READ: Mark 11:8-19
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
