The story of Jesus cleansing the temple with a whip reminds me of the old eastern story about a snake that lived on a path on the way to a famous temple in India. Many people would walk along the path to worship, and the snake would often bite people with his poisonous bite. One time a swami was on his way to the temple and the snake jumped out to bite him, but before the snake could bite him the swami put the snake into a trance and ordered him to stop biting people. "It is not right to bite people with your poisonous bite," the swami told him. "From now on, you shall not bite anyone." A few months later the swami was passing that way again, and he notice the snake lying in the grass beside the path. The snake was all cut and bruised and was in an awful state. "Whatever has happened to you, my friend?" the swami asked. "Since you have put your spell on me," the snake explained, "I have been unable to defend myself. Give me back my bite." "You foolish snake," the swami answered. "I told you not to bite anyone. But I never said that you couldn't hiss!" In today's gospel reading we see an angry Jesus, and it is rather refreshing, since we are so used to thinking of Jesus as gentle, meek and mild as the old hymn describes him.