Tuesday, February 20 : Saint Jerome

“On entering the Temple area Jesus began to drive out those selling and buying there.” Some people were astonished by the resurrection of Lazarus (Jn 11,44), some were overcome with amazement that a widow’s son should be raised to life (Lk 7,15), yet others were struck by other miracles. There is no question that it is a wonderful thing to restore a dead body to life. But on my part I am even more struck by the present incident. This man who was the son of a carpenter, a poor fellow without anywhere to live, without shelter to rest, with no army and who was neither leader nor judge – what power had enabled him to… drive out such a large crowd when he himself stood alone? No one protested, no one dared put up a resistance since no one dared resist the Son who was making good the wound inflicted on his Father… “He began to drive out those selling and buying in the Temple.” If this was possible among the Jews then why should it not be even more so among ourselves? If this could happen in the context of the Law why should it not be even more likely in that of the Gospel?… Christ, a poor man, drives out the buyers and sellers who are rich. The one who sells is thrown out for the same reason as the one who buys. Let no one say: “Look at me, I hold out all I possess, I make offerings to the priests as God commanded.” We read this in a passage from Saint Matthew: “Freely you received, freely give” (Mt 10,8). God’s grace is not for sale, it is given.
Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team