Monday of Holy Week

 Monday

Mark 11: 12-19

 

A lot can happen in seven days.  This is only the beginning of the week.  At this point, Jesus has entered Jerusalem riding on the back of a young donkey.  The crowd is still singing his praises.  He rested from the big entrance in the village of Bethany and woke up hungry.  

 

On this Monday of Holy Week, we tend to focus on the frustration of Jesus as he tore through the Temple, chasing out the money changers and quoting Isaiah 56: 6-7 – “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?”  But before this happens, on their way to the Temple, Jesus and his disciples pass by a fig tree.  His stomach growled, so he approached the tree hoping to find some fruit.  He found nothing but leaves.  Jesus, frustrated, cursed the tree and said, “May no one eat fruit from you again.”

 

It is only the beginning hours of the week, and already we sense the frustration and anger in Jesus.  It is an anger not pointed to the nature of the Temple itself, or even the nature of the fig tree, but rather at the lack of goodness that is coming from both.  Tomorrow we will get a better understanding of what this means.  But for now, since it is only Monday, let us sit with Jesus in his frustration and anger.  We don’t often think about Jesus in this way.  But it is only fair that we allow him to have experienced every emotion possible leading up to that fateful day.  What, in our world or lives today, would make Jesus feel frustrated - or even angry?

 

As we reflect upon that question, we must also never forget that Jesus’ anger comes out of his deep and constant love for us all.  Are we bearing fruit to the goodness within us? Or are we merely leaves, flowing in the breeze, taking it all for granted?

 

Jesus,

We are sorry when we are not true to who you call us to be.

On this most difficult of weeks, you ask us to pay attention and to follow you.

Help us to do that, even when we feel as though we can’t, and especially when we would rather not.

Your love makes all things possible.  

Show us the fruit of what this means.

Amen.