I don't know about you, but an angry Jesus sometimes makes me nervous and other times energizes me to be part of what folks today call "good trouble", doing actions that promote justice and equality in our Church and world.
As I imagine an angry, wild Jesus,I see a loud, messy scene of overturned tables, fleeing animals and people running in every direction in the Temple. I see grateful animals and unhappy vendors scattering for cover and then going off to complain to the nearest religious or civil authority about this mad Jewish rabbi.
Scholars today tell us that this disruption led to Jesus' tormented death on the cross.
Why?
Read contemporary biblical scholars like John Dominic Crossan and Amy Jill Levine if you want to go down this path of exploration.
As I took a deeper dive today into this Gospel, I am nervous and energized because I know there are tables to overturn and work that is messy and uncomfortable to do in the days and years ahead.
My strength is that I am not alone. We are in this together.
All of us together of- no faith and every faith can work together to challenge oppressive rules and rituals that religions impose, to confront religious and civic leaders that oppress people and abuse their power to serve the well-being of all, and to do something to alleviate suffering and inequity in our communities, nation and world. Jesus lit a fire of passionate anger and overflowing love for justice that energizes us today.
My prayer is that we may all embrace our call to be "good trouble."
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