A reader asks…

I’ve been teaching Sunday school this year with fourth graders and one of my catechists keeps bringing up the same problem. He says that Jesus was not sinless, because of the cleansing of the temple. I haven’t been able to figure out a satisfactory answer of why this violent act was not a sin. Could you help me out? Thanks and happy Liturgical New Year!

I’d start by interrogating the assumption that violence is always a sin. How does your catechist know that? Also, defining “violence” would be good. It appears to me that your catechist is starting with the assumption that his suburban American notions of sin and virtue have been mystically elevated to Absolutes by which he sits in judgment of Jesus. It *may* be that your friend is qualified by some godlike power to do this. But the more likely explanation is that his notions of violence and sin are defective. Suggest the possibility that it is he and not Jesus who might not know what he is talking about. Definitely worth exploring if he wishes to actually be a Catholic catechist committed to such notions as “Jesus is God and not just some guy.” Otherwise, get him away from the kids, because he has no business teaching them.

Update: My reader explains that he muddled his terminology and that the questioner is not a catechist but a kid in the class. I’d basically recommend the same like of questioning, but with kid gloves. It’s a reasonable question–for a fourth grader.