Holy Monday: True Worship With a Pure Heart

In the final week of Jesus’ ministry on earth, Holy Monday was a powerful day that occurred the day after Jesus entered Jerusalem. Jesus walked to Jerusalem from Bethany, showing his return to be intentional and purposeful. Along his journey, he saw a fig tree with leaves but no fruit. When Jesus approached the tree, he saw nothing on it that could be nourishing. This tree is a prime example of spiritual fruitlessness. Our genuine faith goes beyond the outward appearance. Jesus cursed the fig tree because it bore no fruit, causing the tree to wither. Although we aren’t trees, God calls us to bear the fruits of the Spirit. 

What are the fruits that Jesus expects us to produce? Many people think these are outward expressions of faith, but the Bible clearly defines “fruit” in Galatians 5: 22-23 which says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Our inner faith is just as important as our outward appearance of faith. When our minds make Christ our cornerstone, our hearts will follow. That kind of heart will naturally lead to God-glorifying action. During this time period, many religious leaders tried to portray themselves as righteous and worthy of power. However, the hearts of these leaders were actually far from him. God cares about the real fruit and not just how we appear. 

Matthew 5: 5-6 states, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and the street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And the Father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

This passage talks about the importance of our heart posture. Jesus refers to hypocrites as people who act for the approval of others rather than approval from God. He wants us to have an authentic relationship with him and, most importantly, have a pure heart behind it. Showing the fruits of the Spirit isn’t about a public display of faith, but rather it is about the sincerity of your love for Christ. After Jesus curses the fig tree, he arrives at the temple, where merchants had turned the space into a market, a place of selling and buying items. Plying a whip, he calls them to account, saying,
“My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:13)

He later defines the true temple when Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

God wanted the temple to be a place where we could communicate with him. An important message God conveys is that our intentions should be to use his temple as a place to worship him rather than a place for self-benefit or gain. Jesus cleansing the temple can also be taken as symbolism that he wants to cleanse our hearts as well. He calls us to remove distractions, selfish motives, or even bad habits that keep us from righteously following and worshiping him. Jesus doesn’t cleanse us as a way of condemning us; he cleanses us to restore our relationship with God. Allow Jesus to search your heart and remove anything that prevents you from sincerely worshipping and acting with a pure heart.

Prayer:  
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing your endless love and mercy. The same way you cleansed the temple, Lord, cleanse our hearts today. Remove all things that prevent me from worshipping you. I pray you help my faith and heart posture to truly glorify you Lord and to produce fruit that loves not only you but also your kingdom. As we walk through this holy week, teach us to live in sincerity, humility, and ultimately a pure heart, Amen. 

MUSIC

Lacrimosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Interpretation:
Mozart composed Lacrimosa as part of his Requiem in D Minor. The lyrics, although in Latin, translate in English to align with the emphasis of the week leading up to Easter. The mournful and passionate music reflects the solemn nature of Holy Week and portrays the sacrifice that Christ made for us. In the translation below, the song's pleading, sorrowful tone is evident. This work makes a plea to spare the guilty, who would be just as hopeless and destitute as the cursed fig tree, but are blessed enough to be spared from eternal damnation by the merciful Lord Jesus.



ARTWORK


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