the narthex of our church
maybe we think of a dinner table,
card tables, hastily placed
a minimum of tables
in the Temple gates
the money changers
vendors selling doves, the pigeons
the tables, the scales
as if it was important
an indictment on them all
the cleansing of the temple
But far more in context
what the words meant
in this first-hand story
the scale of the place
the focus on the temple
the temple worship enterprise
no bigger mega-church
the focus of the nation
the Temple, the center
thousands employed, building
those working directly, on the margin
supporting casts aplenty
the baking of the loaves
the sewing of curtains
production of incense
all for the temple, working
Herds of oxen, sheep, goats
all of the in offerings
a focus on the doves, the pigeons
now seen in clear context
for this is about power
the overturning of These tables
where the money changers worked
these vendors plied their trade
the Poor, those on the margin
at their mercy, their power
for the sacrifice was needed
before they could enter the Temple
This is what provoked Christ’s anger
his flipping of these tables
those denying access
to the poor, the oppressed
those needing God the most
to worship in the temple
the spirit of the law
mutated into anger
edited April 21, 2015
the doves and the pigeons – v2
July 5, 2012
the doves and the pigeons
&
edited April 7, 2015
Proclaiming this text now – v5
(editing original again)
edited January 12, 2015
Proclaiming this text now – v4
(editing original again)
Edited December 21, 2013
Proclaiming this text now – v3
Edited December 1, 2013
Proclaiming this text now – v2
&
July 6, 2012
The Tables of the Vendors
July 6, 2012
Our Tables Overturned
July 6, 2012
A Plea to Their Hearts
July 6, 2012
a place of possibility
July 6, 2012
To give hope to the dreamer
July 6, 2012
Our Faith Calls Us
July 6, 2012
To Welcome the Stranger
July 6, 2012
To care for the homeless
Isaiah 61:1
Isaiah 61:1-4
Micah 6:8
the poem, “The New Colossus”
by Emma Lazarus
&
“Prophet of Hope”
by F. Richard Garland
Upper Room
for July 4, 2012
July 6, 2012
the marginalized finding welcome
July 6, 2012
Denying them God
edited July 6, 2012
“No Dove, No
Ticket – v2
July 6, 2012
No Dove, No Ticket
edited July 5, 2012
A Fair Distribution – v2
to add more oomph
July 5, 2012
A Fair Distribution
July 5, 2012
Changing title to “Christ made a statement”
July 5, 2012
Changing title to “Speak for the Poor”
Changing title to “Speak for the Poor”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/speak-for-poor.html?m=0
July 5, 2012
change title to “Give voice to the weak”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/give-voice-to-weak.html
added second verse July 5, 2012
Given voice to the weak – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/given-voice-to-weak-v2.html
July 5, 2012
Given voice to the weak – v1
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/given-voice-to-weak-v1.html
July 5, 2012
change title to “Give voice to the weak”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/give-voice-to-weak.html
added second verse July 5, 2012
Given voice to the weak – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/given-voice-to-weak-v2.html
July 5, 2012
Given voice to the weak – v1
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/given-voice-to-weak-v1.html
&
edited July 5, 2012
“the temple worship enterprise”
July 5, 2012
the temple worship enterprise
July 5, 2012
Where is Our Voice
July 5, 2012
the center of commerce
July 5, 2012
the banking industry
July 5, 2012
getting their attention
July 5, 2012
An Act of Defiance
July 5, 2012
Joining Christ’s Anger
July 5, 2012
on those complicit
July 5, 2012
A Gospel Mandate
July 5, 2012
Shout No to Power
July 5, 2012
No Insurance
July 5, 2012
Economic Justice
July 5, 2012
Citizens United
July 5, 2012
Silent in Our Comfort
July 5, 2012
A Call to Action
July 5, 2012
a herd of thousands
July 4, 2012 and July 5, 2012
Growing in Preaching
&
June 10, 2012
Proclaiming this text now
Mark 11:15-19
Jesus cleansing the Temple
sermon by Ziegler Award winner,
Reverend Gary Richards
speaking of the Methodist Movement as a
Resistance Movement,
something that made some people very uncomfortable,
including one long-time Methodist who probably was
thinking of John Wesley’s words, “Make all you can, save all you can, give all
you can.”
Annual Conference
New England United Methodist Church
led by Bishop Peter Weaver
&
Mark 2:22
presentation by NEUMC delegates
to General Conference 2012
Annual Conference
New England United Methodist Church
led by Bishop Peter Weaver
June 6, 2012 to June 9, 2012
All of my
poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 37,200+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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