HOLY MONDAY: Jesus cleanses the temple and curses the fig tree; God prepares those who will accept his sacrifice

 HOLY MONDAY 

Day after Jesus was greeted with palm leaves

April 3, 2023

Jesus cleanses the temple and curses the fig tree; God prepares those who will accept his sacrifice

    Christians observe the anointing of Jesus at a dinner party during the final week of his life. The act of anointing is a particularly significant event in the Christian religion, typically completed by a prophet or a priest. Usually, the person being anointed has been given a special purpose or task to carry out by God. Historically, countries have utilized Holy Monday to anoint future kings. 

     In many cultures, the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week are designated as days for vigorous housecleaning in preparation for Easter. This custom probably evolved from the Jewish custom of ritual cleaning before Passover. It was on Holy Monday when Jesus Christ walked to Jerusalem from Bethany. During his journey, he saw a fruitless fig tree. He cast a curse on this tree until it withered and bore fruits. He immediately told his disciples that if they had enough faith, they could make the tree wither and even make the mountains move. On this day, he also cleaned the temple and responded to the authorities for his questioning. The key verses in the Bible that established Holy Monday were Matthew 21:19 to 22, Mark 11:20 to 25, Matthew 21:20 to 22, and Mark 11:23. This modern time we celebrate through prayers and going to church.