Tuesday of Holy Week

The Cleansing of the Temple

Resources needed for focus table –

  • Purple cloth
  • Symbols from yesterday
  • Gospel open at John Ch 2:14 -16
  • Bag of coins and praying hands
  • Simplified version of Gospel ( in this file)

Gathering prayer / Reader
Dear Lord,
We gather this morning to remember that your days in Jerusalem got more and more difficult. The shouts of praise have gone and turned to shouts of anger and whispers of plotting. Help us to reflect this morning on how to use all of our emotions in a positive way as you did when you entered the temple in Jerusalem.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord
Amen
Word
( I usually have a few children act out this gospel) / Reader
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
GLORY TO YOU O LORD
Jesus went into the temple court and he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves and others sitting at tables exchanging money. Some were even gambling. It made Jesus so angry to see his father’s house being used in such a disrespectful manner, so he made a whip out of cords and drove them all out from the temple area, both those selling sheep and cattle and he scattered the money of the gamblers and overturned their tables yelling
“Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a gambling den and market?”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection / Reader
We usually hear stories about Jesus being kind, patient and gentle and so it is very different to imagine Jesus being so angry. Sometimes anger is a good thing, as long as we use it to change things for the better. We might get angry when we see people in other countries who are suffering because of war and other things that are not their fault. Think for a moment how you could use your feelings of anger for good
We might see someone being bullied or hurt by someone else. How could we use our feelings of anger to make that situation better? We might see or hear of people on the news who have no homes to live in through no fault of their own? How can we help?
Let us spend a few quiet moments thinking about times we have felt angry and why and ways that we can use our anger in a good way.
(Quiet music is played at this time)
Reader place scattered coins on the focus area with image or artefact of praying hands as a symbol of the day.
Prayer
response / Reader
Dear Lord
We remember how angry we feel when we hear about people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Help us to use that anger to help them with our prayers and actions.
Lord Hear Us
Lord graciously hear us
Reader
Dear Lord
Sometimes we hear of people doing bad things and it makes us angry. Help us to understand that it is often because they are very sad inside because they do not have the love around them that we do.
Help us to love them with our prayers
Lord Hear Us
Lord graciously hear us
(Your own intentions to be added here)
Closing prayer / Reader
Dear Lord
You showed us in the temple that you have the same feelings as we do. You showed us that it is OK to feel angry about things that matter.
Help us always to use our anger in a positive way and to always strive to build rather than to destroy.
We ask this in your holy name. Amen.