Holy Week 2023 - CLEANSING MONDAY
April 3: Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11
The flame
burns more vigorously as it is about to quench itself, they say. The perfume
spreads itself more vivaciously when it is about to vanquish itself. The love
for his father and the passion for his mission, burns ever brighter as Jesus
nears the cross. Jesus is about to enter into his last few days, and more and
more begin to believe in him and come to him. Even while these happen, the
stubborn heart of Judas does not give way, the plotting spirit of the high
priest and scribes does not change!
This day
within the Holy week is called the Cleansing Monday, as we see Jesus after
entering Jerusalem, paying a visit to the Temple and cleansing it! Don't make
my Father's house a den of robbers, he cries. As the scripture says, the zeal
for his house consumes him, the love for his father consumes him, the love for
his mission consumes him.
All the
good that Jesus did, all the signs that marked his mission did not manage to
convert that one section of the people, because they had their hearts hardened
and their eyes blinded. May we hear today the yearning cry of the Lord to true
conversion. May we make up our mind to truly break away from some act or
tendency that we habitually fall in. As Jesus cleanses that temple, the
invitation to us is clear: our body is the temple of the Lord, is it maintained
as the Lord's dwelling place or has it turned into a robber's den. Isn't it
time for us to take note of it and cleanse it for all its impurities. Our love
for the Father, for the Lord and for being the dwelling of the Spirit, should
consume ourselves!
True love consumes oneself, true wish for the wellbeing of the other shall lead a person to consume oneself. That is what is happening with the Lord - and are we ready continuously cleanse our love for each other, for the whole humanity, for God, so true as we are prepared even to be consumed ourselves!