Weekly Devotion for Sunday, March 15
Editor’s Note: I know, it’s past March 15. Due to a small snag, we weren’t able to get the devotion out this week, but I didn’t want to keep you from Pat’s great thoughts. Enjoy a bit of added reflection on this past week’s Gospel. -Sara
Hello to all from Pat at Camp Gray. Is anyone else ready for spring? As I shuffle from building to building here at camp on the ice, I am eagerly anticipating spring and the warm weather that comes with it. On to the Gospel for the week: 
John 2:13-25
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
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.
This is one of my favorite Gospel readings in the whole Bible. When I was growing up and would get angry with someone I would always use this reading as an example why it was okay to get mad. I would tell people, “Jesus got angry with people so it’s okay for me to get angry.” As I grew older, though, my thoughts on this reading changed. While Jesus does get angry with the people in the temple, I started realizing a few things about this interaction he has with the money changers. Instead of using this reading as an excuse to justify me getting angry, I started using it as an example of how human Jesus was. Jesus is God but He is also human. He is like us in every way. Jesus knows what it’s like to get angry but he also knows what it’s like to be sad and to be happy. I started to see that Jesus probably had all the problems I have in my day. He knew what it was like to suffer and to be in pain. This started helping me in my daily struggles. I could talk to Jesus as a friend and ask for help because He knew what it was like to struggle.
So remember when you struggle or have problems that Jesus knows what you are going through. I would encourage you all this week to take time to tell Jesus all of your struggles. Remember, though, to not only to share your struggles with Him but also all of the great things that happen in your life as well. I imagine Jesus likes to hear those things, too. God bless!