XXX Sunday in OT-[C]: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18; 2Tm 4:6-8, 16-18;
Lk18:9-14
Introduction: Today’s
gospel says that true
humility must be the hallmark of our prayers. However, the central focus
of today’s parable is not on prayer itself, but rather on pride, humility
and the role of grace in our salvation.
Anecdote: The story is told that one day Frederick
the Great, King of Prussia , visited a prison
and talked with each of the inmates. There were endless tales of innocence, of
misunderstood motives, and of exploitation. Finally the king stopped at the
cell of a convict who remained silent. “Well,” remarked Frederick
Explanation: Jesus chose to make the Pharisee a principal
character of his parable because Pharisees were the most highly respected
religious group in the community. Pharisees were intensely committed to the
religious traditions of the people. They refused any collaboration with the
occupying Roman military power. They kept the commandments, voluntarily fasted
beyond the obligatory annual day of fasting, and even cut down on their
standard of living to support the needs of the temple.
Jesus chose a tax collector as the
opposite principal character because tax collectors were generally held in
contempt by the people. They were not only collaborators with the hated Roman
oppressors, but by collecting funds to support a corrupt imperial system, made
it impossible for many people to fulfill their financial obligations to the
temple. These petty government officials were proficient at defrauding people
by various strong-arm methods, and were regarded as no better than robbers.
The Pharisee of the parable had every
good reason to thank God for the worthiness of his own life, and to despise the
tax collector as one who was a threat not only to the temple, but to everything
that was worthwhile and holy. When Jesus at the conclusion of his parable
remarked that the tax collector went home justified, not the Pharisee, it must
have seemed like a shockingly unfair conclusion.
Jesus in his parable obviously is not
advocating collaboration with an oppressive military power, cheating people,
moral relativism, or much less, forbidding evaluation of evil behavior or false
teaching. The Pharisee is condemned because he assumed God’s role in judging
the spiritual worth of a fellow human being. He exalted himself above the rest
of humanity, and despised another through the comparisons he fashioned in his
prayer.
Today at our Eucharist we ask to be freed
from illusions that we have fashioned about ourselves, and pray for the grace
of sharing in Christ’s humility. Through his authentic humility, we will be
able to stand before God in our own unique truth, and thus make it possible to
receive divine mercy and go home justified.
Joke: I once heard a humorous
story about the Pope who was on a visit to America
Since he couldn’t depend on his Pope Mobile, he phoned for a limousine. When the limousine arrived, the driver was joyfully surprised that it was the Pope who called for him. The driver became nervous and was beside himself. He proceeded to drive very slowly. The Pope became nervous and told him to hurry up. It did not make a bit of difference. The driver went slower; he wanted to keep the Pope in his limousine as long as he could. The Pope could not be delayed any longer so he asked to drive the limo himself. The Pope speed off and reached the speed of 85 miles an hour. The policeman who stopped him was shocked when he discovered the famous personality behind the wheel. He frantically phoned his police chief and said, “Chief, I have stopped a very important figure for speeding. I don’t know what to do?”
--“What
do you mean? Give him a speeding ticket!” --“Sir, in all honesty, I can’t.”
--“Why
can’t you? The law is the law. Who is it anyway that you stopped? Is it the mayor?” --“No, sir.” --“Is
it the governor?” --“No, sir.” --“Is it a congressman?” --“Is it the president?” --“No, sir.” --“Well, then, who is it?!”
--“I
don’t know sir! All I know is that the Pope is driving him to the airport.”
Practical Applications: 1) Let
us evict the Pharisee and revive the publican in each of us. There is
a big dose of the Pharisee's pride in us and only a small dose of the
tax-collector's humility. 2) Let
us have the correct approach in our prayer life by including praise and worship,
thanksgiving and our request for pardon and forgiveness for our sins, along
with our petitions. 3) Let
us rid ourselves of self-justification and ask for
God’s unconditional love and mercy during the Holy Mass.
Introduction: Thirtieth Sunday in
Ordinary Time
Message: Humility is the recognition that no matter what our
accomplishments, we still stand in need of the Lord. God hears the cry of the poor and the
oppressed, especially those who acknowledge their dependency upon him. Having heard Paul’s cries for help, the Lord
crowned him with eternal salvation.
Saints and Events in this Week: World Youth Day is observed today in the USA
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