In this past Sunday’s Gospel, we have Jesus rebuking the money changers in the temple for making his Father’s house a marketplace. This is another passage that shows the depth of Jesus’ humanness in his display of passionate anger. Later in the passage, we are told that many came to believe in him after seeing all that he was doing.  The passage ends with two rather curious lines:

“But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.”  John 2:24-25.

What is it about human nature that causes us to destroy good?  Jesus knew it would happen. People are often threatened by good.  Why do we allow the devil to take over just to feel more powerful?

Earlier in the week, we had a reading from Jeremiah 18:18:

“Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah….
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word.”

A more modern term for this phenomenon would be bullying. It happens everywhere, not just the school yard.  The victim is usually a good person but considered weak in some way.  Rather than help the person, the perpetrators mock, marginalize and humiliate the victim.  Often the victim is physically harmed and his/her reputation ruined. The emotional pain felt by the victim is devastating and may even lead to suicide or acts of violence against others.  Jesus knew this side of human nature, and he knew his time was coming.  He would experience exquisite suffering and death on the cross.  The difference is that while Jesus experienced excruciating emotional and physical pain, he wasn’t a victim.  He gave of himself freely, so that we might choose to join him in goodness in unity with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Let us be aware of those moments when we might be participating in the mocking, marginalization, and humiliation of others.  Let us choose the more courageous act of bringing good to an ugly situation.