Holy Monday: Jesus Clears the Temple
“He said to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer,
but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-17)
A popular charge students often hear today against Christianity is that of hypocrisy. How can a Church claim to serve the disenfranchised yet spend large amounts of money on perceived vanities such as art, architecture, music, etc. We must remember that the same temple where Christ put an end to irreverent trade was the same where he then healed the blind and lame. Seeing this, children praised Christ’s actions exclaiming, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ (Matthew 21:15). Here we see an example of where the first become last, where the priorities of those with means are subordinated to the needs of the sick and forgotten. Furthermore, both the merchants and their marketplace are removed. The scene is then two-fold, both the merchant and the marketplace are subordinated to prayer and healing. Recalling my own experience, I can sometimes lose myself in every opportunity the City and Columbia campus offers. In such an environment, it is easy to keep busy the entire day without remembering to pray and give thanks. This is somewhat ironic since prayer seems to me a state of being not busy or strenuous but rather relieving and peaceful. It is one of those periods, like a cheerful meal with friends, where time loses its pressure. As Easter approaches, I remember Christ’s message to St. Peter at the end of the Last Supper, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). Prayer is often the main means by which we strive for communion with God and with our fellow Christians. Let us remember this Holy Week to pray, and not become too distracted by the bustle of New York City, Columbia, and their many diversions.
Gustavo Alcantar is a junior in Columbia College majoring in Economics with a concentration in History. As someone who loves to cook, he is always ready to share and make his family recipes or help others prepare theirs. You can usually find him waiting in line Sunday mornings for an Absolute Bagel and coffee, or most weekday afternoons in Avery Library. Gustavo is an active member of Columbia Catholic Ministry, Model UN, and the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review.