In today’s reading, Meister Eckhart, takes up the narrative that is the subject of our Sunday morning sermon today at UBC. Eckhart is reflection on the synoptic (Matthew, Mark, Luke) account of the clearing of the temple by Jesus during the week leading up to the crucifixion. The sermon focuses on John’s account of what I believe to be the first of two temple clearings at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Eckart looks at the temple cleansing from a perspective of Lordship. He then pivots to an inward application of this narrative. The Lord’s temple, asserts Eckhart, is the soul of each of His human creations. Christ desires to be the sole occupant of the soul. So, He clears out whatever is within us that conflicts with His presence. Eckhart compares the merchants in the temple courts with our human penchant towards setting up an exchange system with God. We exchange what we’ll do for Him with what we want done for us. This is sinful because it alienates the supreme grace of Christ at work in our lives.
“See! This is how the temple is cleared: when a person thinks only of God and honors him alone. Only such a person is free and genuine.” It is that genuine nature of soul that we should seek.