As we journey through Holy Week, each day brings us closer to the profound events of Easter Sunday. Today, let us pause and reflect on the significance of Holy Monday, a day marked by Jesus’ cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 21. This pivotal moment invites us to examine our hearts and consider which role we may play in the grand narrative of faith.
In Matthew 21:12-13, we witness Jesus entering the temple courts and overturning the money changers’ tables and the benches of those selling doves. He declares, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13, ESV). This dramatic act of cleansing the temple serves as a powerful symbol of Jesus’ righteous indignation against the exploitation and corruption that had infiltrated the sacred space meant for worship.
The money changers represented those who exploited religious practices for personal gain. They took advantage of pilgrims who had traveled from afar to offer sacrifices by charging exorbitant rates for exchanging currency and purchasing animals for sacrifice. In their pursuit of profit, they had lost sight of the true purpose of the temple as a place of prayer and reverence for God.
Similarly, the temple priests Jesus were committed to a rigid adherence to their religious traditions and rituals, which sometimes overshadowed the essence of true worship and compassion. They were more concerned with preserving outward appearances and maintaining authority than cultivating genuine faith and humility.
In contrast to the money changers and temple priests, there is the image of the child in the temple who rejoices in the presence of Jesus. In Matthew 21:15-16, we read that after Jesus cleansed the temple, the blind and the lame came to him, and he healed them. The children in the temple courts witnessed these miraculous acts and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Their simple faith and uninhibited praise are a poignant reminder of the pure-hearted devotion that Jesus calls us to embody.
As we reflect on Holy Monday, let us consider which role we may be playing in the story of the temple. Are we, like the money changers, exploiting religion for personal gain or advantage? Like the temple priests, are we more concerned with outward appearances and traditions than with authentic worship and compassion? Or are we, like the children, rejoicing in the presence of Jesus with childlike faith and humility?
