Jesus Drove Them Out

Beads of Joy 11-19-10

Jesus Drove Them Out
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO

Hello Everyone,

Today we see how physical our Lord can get when His Father's house isn't respected. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only time Jesus ever got physically aggressive. I think the only way one can interpret this event, is that our Lord wasn't going to see His house being used by a "den of robbers". This shows us the importance of respect and reverence is vitally important to Him. Jesus was extremely offended by the heartless merchants who merely used the temple as a place to operate their business. Today we are reflecting on Luke 19:45-48 (Jesus Cleanses The Temple). There is no doubt at times that business people do take advantage of the general public, obviously not all of them do. Please don't send me a whole bunch of emails about that. lol. I to was a business owner for almost twenty years, we always did the right thing, period. I am speaking only of the ones who purposely take advantage of the public. In Jesus' time, both the tax collectors and the merchants took advantage of the working class of people, better known back then as the poor. So for Jesus to observe this, He knew well what was going on, and how dare these robbers, these thieves use the Holy Temple as their backdrop to do these ungodly things. Jesus just couldn't take it anymore. It was time to clean up house, His house. Like Jesus said, "It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers." The line has been drawn, and Jesus would be the one drawing it.

So what is the message today? How about honesty and reverence? I think that was what was probably missing here. The Temple is a place of worship, where God's word is taught, honesty and goodness are shared, and morals truly exist. How dare the temple be used for anything so deceitful and misleading on that day. How honest are we with others? How honest are we with God? Funny thing is that if we aren't honest with God He already knows of our lies. And as far as reverence goes, let us not think for a second, just because we don't physically see Him, he don't see us. In God's house we must always be reverent in our actions, our attire, our words and in everything we do, period. God wants us to be holy, in His most holy place; and He most certainly wants us to be reverent and respectful in His house.

With Reverence

With reverence I enter the house
For God is the one who resides,
With reverence I bow my head
For God sees all I can not hide.

With reverence I genuflect
For God I bow before Him,
With reverence I confess
For God alone forgives my sin.

With reverence I dress respectful
For God's house is one to respect,
With reverence we give Him all of us
For God to us, He will never neglect.

Today's gospel has us possibly thinking, how can I be more reverent and morally on course when I am in church, or at Mass? I think there is a simple way that one can relate all this. Consider God's house the way you would respect anyone else's house. Obviously with it being God's house it's a whole different situation. But I believe the gist of thought, that if you are in someone else's house, you have a tendency to respect someone else's living space. We also tend to be more reserved to not "throw off our shoes and jump on the couch". lol, no I don't do that. We are God's servants, He only wants us to respect Him. Yes He is our Father and He loves us as a Father. But at the same time, He is Almighty God, creator of the universe. It's probably easier for many of us who were brought up in an atmosphere of respect in our homes. It's kind of instilled inside us. And if we were brought up in a church going atmosphere, that reverent attitude was even further instilled inside us when it came to be at Mass each week. But to all those who haven't it's never too late to have such wonderful Godly ways instilled in your heart and Spirit.

"Jesus, I trust in You."


Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO

Today we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries

1. Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. Crowing with Thorns
4. Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus