Prostrations

St. Dominic's second way of praying is to prostrate himself on the floor and pray.  Pray.  I'm not using a set novena, nor a set prayer.  I'm praying extemporaneously.  Remember, I'm a simple old lady.  I can't memorize anymore, so set prayers are out of the question.  Besides, the effort it will take me to get up off the floor is a prayer of suffering I can unite myself with Jesus' suffering.

St. Dominic's Nine Ways of Prayer and Novena

August 8 is the Feast of St. Dominic.  The novena to St. Dominic would start today and since there are nine ways of praying, according to St. Dominic, I thought I'd copy his postures while I pray a novena.

Already I'm stuck.  My parish church isn't open due to COVID-19.  So I can't bow to an altar.  I'll have to bow to a crucifix on the wall.

Mercy's Madness

My "cloistered brother," Michael writes:

Mercy's Madness

My brokenness sings, because...

                                                                          

mercy fixes my stupid things...

The pain I bring,

when my humor zings, when my heart breaks,

anger fares and swings

Mercy calms life's unkind dings...

My brokenness sings, because...

mercy fixes my stupid things...

When the darkness covers the

depth of my despair,

God's mercy makes its repair,

placing a heart that cares

strength to bear, what sin tears...

My brokenness sings, because...

mercy fixes my stupid things...

Thank you God, for

Mercy's madness, for you constantly

grant me the grace, the forgiveness that

mercy brings, over and over

again is truly a...love that can be called

Mercy's Madness____

grant me the grace, the forgiveness

The Lord Rules

Lectio:  

Psalm 19:8-11

⁸ The precepts of the     giving joy to the heart.    giving light to the eyes.    enduring forever.    and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,    than much pure gold;    than honey from the honeycomb.    in keeping them there is great reward.

Studium:

Psalm 19 is the 19th psalm in the Book of Psalms. The psalm starts by reflecting on God's glory in creation and moves to reflect on the use of God's commandments.  Nature consists of heaven, earth and ocean.  The psalmist notes the perfection of all around him with the perfection of the 10 Commandments.   Simply, the psalmist connects the perfection between the sun and the Torah.  Both enlighten man.  Both glory their Creator.  The Torah is whole and complete as the Torah expresses wholeness and God's glory.

Meditatio:

 Nature is beautiful.  Is Psalm 19 telling me that the 10 Commandments are beautiful?  Both nature and God's laws have order.  I see that nature does have a rhythm that ensures its growth.  So does following the 10 Commandments foster my growth?  Lord

Oratio:   Lord, I see how nature follows Your laws, how can I not.  I try and when I fail I will try again.  I will never stop trying.

Contemplatio:

You, O Lord are more precious than gold. Your ways are my ways.

Resolutio:

Jesus, You know that my spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  I resolve to try harder and never give up.

Even an Idiot Knows Capital Punishment is Wrong

The Idiot is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. I am rereading it because I'm not sure I finished it because I don't remember it.  At least, I don't remember until I read the familiar words.

Near the beginning of the novel, Prince Muishkin explains his thoughts and feelings about France's capital punishment--the guillotine.  The servant said, "Well, at all events it is a good thing that there's no pain when the poor fellow's head flies off."

Do you know, though, cried the prince warmly, you made that remark now, and everyone says the same thing, and the machine is designed with the purpose of avoiding pain, this guillotine I mean; but a thought came into my head then: what if it be a bad plan after all? You may laugh at the idea, perhaps--but I could not help its occurring to me all the same.  Now with the rack and tortures and so on--you suffer terrible pain of course, but then your torture is bodily pain only (although no doubt you have plenty of that) until you die.  But HERE I should imagine the most terrible part of the whole punishment is, not the bodily pain at all--but the certain knowledge that in an hour,--then in ten minutes, then in half a minute, then now--this very instant--your soul must quit your body and that you will no longer be a man--and that this certain, CERTAIN! That's the point--the certainty of it.  Just that instant when you place your head on the block and hear the iron grate over your head--then--that quarter of a second is the most awful of all.

This is not my own fantastical opinion--many people have thought the same; but I feel it so deeply that I'll tell you what I think.  I believe that to execute a man for murder is to punish him immeasurable more dreadful than is equivalent to his crime.  A murder by sentence is far more dreadful than a murder committed by a criminal.  The man who is attacked by robbers at night, in a dark wood, or anywhere, undoubtedly hopes and hopes that he may yet escape until the very moment of his death.  There are plenty of instances of a man running away, or imploring for mercy--at all events hoping in some degree--even after his throat was cut.  But in the case of an execution, that last hope--having which it is so immeasurably less dreadful to die,--is taken away from the wretch and certainty substituted in its place!  There is his sentence, and with it that terrible certainty that he cannot possibly escape death--which, I consider, must be the most dreadful anguish in the world.  You may place a soldier before a cannon's mouth in battle, and fire upon him--and he will still hope.  But read that to the same soldier his death-sentence, and he will either go mad or burst into tears.  Who dares to say that any man can suffer this without going mad? No, no! it is an abuse, a shame, it is unnecessary--why should such a thing exist? Doubtless, there may be men who have been sentenced, who have suffered this mental anguish for a while and then have been reprieved; perhaps such men may have been able to relate their feelings afterwards.  Our Lord Christ spoke of this anguish and dread.  No! no! no! No man should be treated so, no man, no man!

A Nasty Encounter

Some people question wearing a mask.  Although some may think that they are perfectly healthy, you never know if you are asymptomatic and are carrying the disease.  I figure why take the chance.

Cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face-covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control. This recommendation is based on what we know about the role respiratory droplets play in the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, paired with emerging evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that show cloth face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), so the use of cloth face covering is particularly important in settings where people are close to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Wearing a face mask is not a political statement to show my opposition to President Trump’s not wearing a mask.  Although I have run into people who make comments to me accusing me of being a flaming liberal. It seems that NOT wearing a mask proves that you can think for yourself and don’t believe in the fake science that the CDC is promoting.

For Trump’s supporters, declining to wear a mask is a visible way to demonstrate “that ‘I’m a Republican,’ or ‘I want businesses to start up again,’ or I want students back in school.

I had one such nasty encounter with an individual I met in the parking lot of Stop and Shop.  I had just come out of the store and was placing my groceries in my trunk, when the man next to me said, “Why are you wear

Now, I don’t know why I said and did what happened next. But I know I will regret it for the rest of my life.  I turned to the man and said “I wear it to protect you.”

He said, “You #@!$%  liberals are all alike.  Masks are worthless and protect $#@!”

 I walked over to him.  “Well, I was just tested as positive and if you think the mask is worthless, let me give you a hug and a kiss.”

He backed away from me.

I took off my mask and held out my arms like I was going to hug him.

He turned around and started to run.  I was going to just pretend to chase him but he fell down.  So I grabbed his leg and pulled it…just like I’m pulling yours.

Dancing Priest Does Hamilton | CHURCH PARODY | "You'll Be Back"

Man Copying Nature

National Wildlife, August-September 2020 edition has an article on ants, in their "News of the Wild" by Mark Wexler.

 It tells of black garden ants using social distancing to combat outbreaks of infectious disease. Workers in ants' colonies are divided into nurses, which care for inside the nest, and foragers, which collect food outside and are the ones who pick up pathogens. 

Swiss and Austrian scientists found that when foragers are exposed to a disease-causing fungus, they stay away from the nest, decreasing contact with other ants.  The nurses, meanwhile move the brood deeper inside the nest to protect the larvae.

The scientists don't know how the ants detect infection but they do. The article closes with: "I think we could learn from the social insects about ways to decrease transmission of disease at the scale of the population, says University of Lausanne biologist and lead author Nathalie Stroeymeyt.

Caught Between Right and/or Expedient

In reading Ellis Peters last Brother Cadfael, I came across an ethics question.  Does the end justify the means?  Of course not.  But...

It's not that simple. 

In various degrees, we are all sinners.  To acknowledge and accept that load is good.  Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept that load is good.  Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept it and not entertain either shame or regret may also be required of us.  If we find we must still say: Yes, I would do the same again, we are making a judgement others may condemn.  But how do we know that God will condemn it? His judgements are inscrutable... If the sin is one which, with all our will to do right, we cannot regret, can it truly be a sin? ...In the end, there is nothing to be done but to state clearly what has been done, without shame or regret, and say: Here I am, and this is what I am.  Now deal with me as you see fit....You do what you must do and pay for it.  So, in the end, all things are simple.  Brother Cadfael's Penance chapter 16.

Brother Cadfael says it is that simple.

Now, Brother Cadfael obeys the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law in every mystery.  So it's OK for him to devise nefarious means to justify a good end, or does it?  Should it?  Why can't everyone?

Let God judge.

Acrostic Pandemic Poetry

Contrary to fear, let us relish our family time.              C
Ours to do what we always wanted:                              O
Rest, read, do whatever enters our mind.                       R
Only walk to wherever, our feet led.                              O
No one to impress, no one to care.                                 N
Alone.  We can't go anywhere!                                       O


Can I throw kisses                                                          C
Over fences and through doors,                                     O
Very heartfelt messages?                                                V
Isolated and alone. Catch them,                                      I
Destined to outlast this virus.                                         D

Cancelling Padre Serra

Cancelling Padre Serra: I have just received word that, after voting to remove a large statue of St. Junipero Serra that stands in front of their City Hall, the government of Ventura, California.  This article in The Pilot is by Bishop Robert Barron and gives a feel of what Catholics are afraid of.

Ideas for Summer Reading

Ideas for summer reading: It is easy to tear down, hard to build. Cathedrals built over centuries were destroyed in days during the Reformation.  Rioting, destroying, lawlessness has taken over the summer.  Where is the edification?  Let's change the mood, recommends Michael Pakaluk in the Pilot.

     I agree.  Take yourself away from the polemics of the current crises and read a good uplifting novel.  Get involved in someone else's problems.  If they can survive, so can you.  You can!

Spontaneous Human Combustion

Nothing to See Here is a fun read. The author, Kevin Wilson draws his characters very well. The hero is Lillian who got kicked out of boarding school because she took the fall for her best friend, Madison. Madison, now, many years later, enlists Lillian to be governess/caretaker of her twin stepchildren. All expenses will be paid. One catch: the twins spontaneously combust when agitated and this can't be known because their father, Madison's husband is a politician who has a chance of being president, or vice president or a cabinet position.

The characters are weird and the writing is simple yet constructed with ease and in such a way that you are there. This book is a quick summer read.

Shen Khar Venakhi - wonderful song to Mother Mary from Georgia!

Amazon's Refusal

Do you know Amazon wouldn't publish my review of The Gospel Message for Young Readers?  I have to spend $ 50 in the past year.  And special deals don't count.
    I did receive the book in exchange for a review.  The review does not have to be positive.  But I write an honest review. 
    I'm happy that I have this blog to write the review on.

Because of COVID 19, the religious education, CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine), and religious formation of the children in my diocese is recommending homeschooling. It is called Project Nazareth. The cost is free because the materials are online. Since my adult children are too busy to instruct my grandchildren, I thought I would take over the religious formation. If my children thought homeschooling the lessons from their public school were a burden, how effective would their faith instruction be?
"The Gospel Message for Young Readers" by Josephine Van Dyke Brownson and Shawn Henry Potter will be a good reference. I like the Table of Contents as a curriculum guide, especially for my grandchild preparing for First Communion. I also like the pictures. I read this on Kindle so the pictures aren't perfect, but the captions accompanying the pictures give me enough information to google the art. I plan on printing out large-size copies to go with my lesson plan. Having the picture in front of the room, or on the table, will reinforce the message.
With the diocesan material, this book, and other supplemental resources, I pray my grandchildren will enjoy learning about our beautiful faith.

What's Annoying About God

Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 13: 24-43--the parable about the weeds among the wheat.  I wrote about that the other day.  Well.  I'm still reflecting on it.  I couldn't wait for the wheat and weeds to grow enough for me to distinguish one from the other.  The garden would have been overwhelmed with weeds.  So I put black landscaping cover over it.  I'm not divine.  I don't have God's patience.  In fact, God is so patient, it's annoying.  I can't wait.

In fact, I kind of think that when I was putting down that landscape covering I was talking to God and showing Him how I want Him to act.  "See, I want things fixed now."

I know I don't have the full picture on life and God does.  But I know the future of my garden in three months and I judged not to let the weeds grow.  God's timing is supposed to be perfect but to me it's always maddening slow.  As I said previously, I'm not divine.  I don't have His patience.  

My Plans for Religious Formation for My Grandchildren

Because of COVID 19, the religious education, CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine), and religious formation of the children in my diocese is recommending homeschooling.  It is called Project Nazareth.  The cost is free because the materials are online.  Since my adult children are too busy to instruct my grandchildren, I thought I would take over the religious formation.  If my children thought homeschooling the lessons from their public school were a burden, how effective would their faith instruction be?
       "The Gospel Message for Young Readers" by Josephine Van Dyke Brownson and Shawn Henry Potter will be a good reference.  I like the Table of Contents as a curriculum guide, especially for my grandchild preparing for First Communion.  I also like the pictures.  I read this on Kindle so the pictures aren't perfect, but the captions accompanying the pictures give me enough information to google the art.  I plan on printing out large-size copies to go with my lesson plan.  Having the picture in front of the room, or on the table, will reinforce the message.
       With the diocesan material, this book, and other supplemental resources, I pray my grandchildren will enjoy learning about our beautiful faith.

Weeds vs. Vegetables

In preparing for Bible sharing tonight I meditated on Mathew 13: 24-43.  This is the parable where an enemy sows weeds into a field of wheat.  They both are allowed to grow side by side until harvest time.  As the weeds and wheat are picked, the weeds are thrown out.

You get the point.  We are the wheat living in a secular world of weeds and that's the way it will be until the end of time.  God will harvest the wheat.

My meditation brought me to the reality of my own garden.  I couldn't allow both to grow because I had too many weeds.  The weeds would have chocked my vegetables and herbs.  I had to cover the garden in landscaping cover, then cut holes in it to plant my vegetables.  The landscaping cover suppresses the weeds. 

Why couldn't I allow them both to grow?  Because the weeds were overpowering.  The soil was not good, rich loam.  The soil was too full of weeds.  Now there's a parable for you.

Don't plant in bad soil.

Behind the Cell Door

A reflection by a "cloistered brother," on Luke 1: 38.

Latastian[1] spirituality recognizes the redemptive potential of events that take place behind closed doors.  Just as Gabriel visited Mary in the intimacy of her chambers to announce the news that Jesus— Immanuel, God with us—was about to illuminate the world, Father Joseph Lataste, O.P. sought out imprisoned women behind closed doors, with the redemptive hope embedded in Jesus’ love for them.  Likewise, behind closed doors, as hope was buried when Jesus was placed in a sepulcher, the Spirit of Life raised Him from the dead restoring hope to the world; and, behind closed doors, as the fearful apostles gathered after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit came with fire to restore their power and hope. 

Indeed, behind closed doors miracles happen!  The Annunciation reminds us that when a door slams behind, we are granted an opportunity to receive hope, rejoice at Easter, and welcome the fire of the Holy Spirit. 

The Annunciation needs not stay as an event in the distant past; while the world does not quite know what to do with the news of Jesus, we may take the initiative and affirm, with Mary, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”  The god who intersected history to become empirically verifiable hope cannot be deterred by closed doors to announce His presence unto us.

---

[1] Blessed M. Jean-Joseph Lataste, O.P. – Apostle of Prisoners. Lataste’s spirituality is all about mercy and redemption, especially in prison.

The Cost of Discipleship

Isaiah 50: 4-7    Psalm 22: 8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24    Phil. 2: 6-11    Mark 14: 1-15: 47  or  15: 1-39

 

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!    Philippians 2: 8

In all these readings we learn that if we are to follow the Lord, we will meet opposition and may suffer dearly for it.  The prophet in exile suffered mocking and beatings. The psalm expresses feelings of abandonment. Paul tells us in Philippians that Jesus lowers Himself to be a slave.  Finally, Mark relates the story of Jesus' betrayal and passion.

Following the Lord is not easy.  No wonder we Catholics hang crucifixes in our homes and wear crosses on our necks.  Don't forget.  To be a follower of Jesus means you will suffer.  

But these readings also urge us to remain faithful.  Isaiah knows he can rely on the Lord.  The psalm singer ends the psalm by praising the Lord.  And Paul and Mark look towards the Resurrection.  

By following the way of the Lord we know that whatever befalls us, in the end, we will be saved.  

Being Called to be a Preacher

Lectio:        Isaiah 50: 4-7

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
    to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
⁵ The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
    I have not been rebellious,
    I have not turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.
⁷ Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
    and I know I will not be put to shame.

Studium:

These verses are the thoughts of a prophet in exile.  He is confronted with the reality of life in Babylon.  Expressing feelings of righteous suffering is noticeable in these lines.  Being faithful may cause people to reject you, beat you, mock and spit.  But the prophet remains faithful.

Meditatio:

As a lector I have verses 4 and 5 written down.  But not the others.  I don't want to think about them.  Although, I have had a taste of being mocked.  Once while reading and pouring my heart out in my voice, a man laughed at loud!  I didn't know what to think.  Was I too dramatic?

    I was hurt by that laugh.  Was God trying to tell me something?  Was Satan trying to throw me off?

    After Mass, the wife of the man who laughed at me came to me and apologized for him.  I really don't remember what she said, but the fact that she is the one who came to me and not him is telling.

  Ever since then, I have been very insecure in my proclaiming.  I don't pour my heart into it, anymore.  I just don't enjoy it.

Oratio:

Lord, do you want me to quit being a lector?  I am one of the oldest ones, maybe it is time that I stepped down.  Will you give me a sign, somehow?

Contemplatio:

Do I turn away or not?

Resolutio:

I will continue until the Lord tells me not to.

A Cloistered Brother Reflects on Matthew 20: 17-28

Gus writes a reflection.

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem… Matt. 20: 18

Christ invites us to journey with Him “Going up to Jerusalem.” Wholeheartedly embracing God’s call to obedience, through prayer, fasting, and acts of mercy, as symbols of our repentance, is the way.

Absolution should pave our way towards genuine repentance.  We need to put away the old self of our former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness…  Eph. 4: 22-24.

The apostles didn’t understand what being a disciple entailed.  James and John must have thought “Going Up to Jerusalem” meant going to claim the Messiah’s throne.  Their mother asked Jesus to have them sit next to Him when He came into His kingdom (Matt. 20: 21).  Then the other apostles clamored to sit next to Jesus, too.  (Matt. 20: 24)

Journeying toward the heavenly kingdom impels us to share Jesus’ fate. Every one of the apostles will carry a specific cross.  They all die an ignoble death.

Are you ready for the journey?  

What is your cross?  

Can you follow Jesus all the way up to Jerusalem? 

Hey Jude.

The other night I was attending an interfaith Bible Study.  We were reading the Book of Jude or The Letter of Jude.  We began by watching a video.  In the video the narrator was speaking of Jude, not being an apostle.  And James is mentioned as the brother of Jesus.

Well, I didn't say anything because it was a Catholic priest who was leading this particular session.  He said nothing about this Letter of Jude, not being an apostle, nor that James is not a biological brother of Jesus.  So I stayed quiet.

Later I took out my Bible and the introduction to the Letter of Jude was exactly what the narrator said.  Jude is NOT an apostle.  And James is accepted as a brother of Jesus.  It doesn't go into the "how."  This Bible is a New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition, 2011.

I took out my old high school Bible, Catholic Family Library Edition Holy Bible, 1958.  The book in question is titled, The Catholic Epistle of St. Jude the Apostle.  James is assumed to be a member of Jesus's extended family. 

When did the Bible change?  I don't know the date, but the USCCB says:

This letter is by its address attributed to “Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1). Since he is not identified as an apostle, this designation can hardly be meant to refer to the Jude or Judas who is listed as one of the Twelve (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13; cf. Jn 14:22). The person intended is almost certainly the other Jude, named in the gospels among the relatives of Jesus (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3), and the James who is listed there as his brother is the one to whom the Letter of James is attributed (see the Introduction to James). Nothing else is known of this Jude, and the apparent need to identify him by reference to his better-known brother indicates that he was a rather obscure personage in the early church.

Google has references to Jude being an apostle, so I am not the only one, who didn't know the change.  The Bible is full of surprises.

Acquitted of Murder

"Today I was acquitted of murdering my husband..."  This is how Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside begins. From then on, the reader is in search of whom really done it.

I thought the plot was clever.  The reader has to follow two-time lines.  The accused is Diana.  The narrator's great aunt.  When Diana dies of old age, her niece Helena is clearing out her aunt's things and comes across her diaries.  This is where she learns that Diana's husband was murdered. 

When Helena tells her friends about Diana and the murder, everyone wants to know who dun it.  And the search involves everyone.  The novel travels effortlessly from Diana's time to Helena's. But it seems that Diana wasn't the only one who kept a diary.  Eventually, the pieces are put together and the reader finds out who and why.

Small Town Life

"Do you understand forgiveness?" "The concept, I guess." "I mean how it works." "Somebody's an asshole and you tell him it's okay?" "That's a willful misrepresentation." "As in untrue?" "As in half true." This is Sully speaking to Miss Beryl. This dialogue is typical Sully. Richard Russo, the author of "Everybody's Fool" is very adept at language diction. The reader can hear the words ringing authenticity. This novel is a sequel to "Nobody's Fool." Sully was the main protagonist in that one. Sully's also in "Everybody's Fool," but the story is about the police chief, Douglas Raymer. It is a funny, page-turning novel. The chief is everybody's fool and the story is about his wife's death, her cheating on him, and her need to be loved by everyone. In trying to figure what happened, Chief Raymer finds a lot about himself, too. Woven around and in the Chief's story are Sully, Rub and Ruth, and many of the characters from "Nobody's Fool." The humor in the story will have the reader laughing out loud. No human can read "Everybody's Fool" with out a smile on their face and/or a tear in their eye. It's life. Everyone knows a Chief Raymer and Sully. It's about our lives.

A Passing Fancy

A  Passing Fancy by Patrick Dougherty

The artist is Patrick Dougherty.  He is known as a stick sculptor.  We saw this today at Highfield Hall grounds in Falmouth, MA.  The story of the building of structure is   https://highfieldhallandgardens.org/current-art-exhibits/stickwork/

The children love it.  It's a maze.  It's an amazing maze.

Authority

Lectio:     John 2: 13-25

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 

15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 

16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 

17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 

21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 

22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 

24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 

25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Studium:

This incident of Jesus cleansing the temple is in all four of the Gospels.  They all relate more or less the same facts.  Now Jesus had been to the temple, most probably many times before.  It seems that finally all that bothered Him when He went to the temple, came to a head.  He had had it.  

    I can imagine the scene.  Here it is Passover, a religious holiday.  The city is mobbed.  The outer court where it seems selling and exchanging money was allowed, must have been extremely noisy, busy and crazy.

    Then this rabbi loses it.  He flips over the tables and chases out the money changers and merchants.  AND NO ONE CALLS THE POLICE (ROMANS).  THE SANHEDRIN REMAIN SILENT!

    It seems that everyone accepted His authority to do this.  Stop turning My Father's house into a den of thieves.

    Note v. 25:  

He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.   Jesus knew what was in the money changers hearts and the Sanhedrin.  He knew that later they would get their revenge.

Meditatio:

Lord Jesus, You know what is in all men's hearts.  Know that I love You and don't want to ever hurt You.  I don't want to disobey You.  

Oratio:

Jesus, I accept Your authority.

Contemplatio:

 The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
 The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

 They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

Resolutio:

Keep praying Father Aniello's prayer:  Thank you Jesus for loving me and help me to love others as You do.