Holy Monday

One week.  Only one week.  That is all that remains to complete the work.  There is so much to teach.  So much for the apostles to grasp; to remember as they lead the Church.  After about three years it all comes down to one week.  The last week.

 Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday.  The day of the triumphant entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.  Today is known as Holy Monday of Easter week.  The Gospels tell us of some of the events that occurred on this day of the Passion week.  Some of the most recognizable of these are the cursing of the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:20-26), the questioning of Jesus' authority (Matthew 21:23-27), the cleansing of the Temple (Mark 11:15-18) and the teaching of some parables (Matthew 21:28-46).  Quite a bit for one day, and those are just the highlights!
Giuseppe Passeri [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
We see in the Gospels on Monday of Easter week something we do not often see from our Lord; anger.  I think this was a part of a grief process that our God-Man Lord experienced as He approached His death.  In the Temple, Jesus was angry at what man had made His House of Prayer into.  He was mad at the fig tree for having no figs.  Two things that were not acting as they were intended to.  Neither were accomplishing their Kingdom purpose.  Both were play-acting.  The area of the Temple that Jesus cleansed was designed to be for the Gentiles; for those who were not Jewish to come pray and worship YHWH (God).  It was made into a marketplace for Jews.  Gentiles had no place.  There was no prayer here; there was only profit.  The fig tree was in full leaf but had no fruit.  The apostles note that it was too early in the season for the tree to have fruit, but being in full leaf advertises the making of fruit.  The fig tree was playing the part of making fruit while not actually doing it.  Jesus took time during His last week to challenge play-acting.
We who are believers have a place in advancing the Kingdom.  Choosing to look like the part while not being the part is play-acting.  It is the hypocrite.  Looking the part while not being the part is angering to the Lord.  Playing the hypocrite is a serious matter, and we should remember that.

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