Luke 18: 9-14
Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Approach God with Humility
A dear friend whom I first encountered as a parishioner used to complain about the times we ask for forgiveness at Mass. She did not like starting the Mass with a Penitential Act nor did she like the prayer “Lord, I am not worthy…” at Communion time.
I could see how she could have a problem with this. She was a holy woman with few, if any, sins – loving God and neighbor, and she was not self-righteous. I chose not to fight with her about this.
Still, when she would make this complaint, I would think of this parable of Jesus, unique to Luke’s Gospel, about a self-righteous man, no more a typical Pharisee than a self-righteous Christian is a typical Christian, and a humble tax collector.
And I continued to like the instances when we acknowledge our sins at Mass and consider those moments appropriate.
We should come before God with profound humility, acknowledging our dependence on God as God’s creatures, owing as we do our existence and life and many other gifts to God, and recognizing our dependence on God for salvation, holiness and the fullness of sharing in God’s life that is our destiny.
—Fr. Bob Hagan, SJ, is a member of a community of senior Jesuits at Saint Ignatius Hall in Black Jack, Missouri. He gives spiritual direction, mostly online; gives sacramental care to the lay Catholics in the adjacent retirement community; writes occasional reflections for Jesuit Prayer; posts various daily items and a longer weekly reflection on the Sunday Mass readings on his Facebook site at Bob Hagan SJ; and drives fellow Jesuits who no longer drive wherever they want to go.
Prayer
O God, who alone can probe the depths of the heart, you hear the prayer of the humble and justify the repentant sinner.
As we stand before you, grant us the gift of humility, that we may see our own sins clearly and refrain from judging our neighbor.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
—ICEL Opening Prayer for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
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