Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Two Sundays ago, Jesus talked about the necessity of thanking God in prayer. He told the parable of the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus along the way. Only one came back to thank him.
Last Sunday, Jesus talked about the necessity of persistence in prayer. He told the parable of the widow who continued to come to an unjust judge for a just judgement in her case. That judge didn’t want to help the woman, but he eventually relented and gave her a fair decision because she kept coming back to ask him for help. Jesus reminded us that God is much better than any human judge. God always wants what is in our best interest. We must pray constantly and never give up on our prayers to God who hears us and gives us what we need.
Today, Jesus gives us another lesson on prayer. He is teaching us that when we pray, we must be humble before our God. He gives the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector to highlight the difference between a prayer that comes out of pride and prayer that comes out of need.
The Pharisee is an outwardly good man. He kept the law, his marriage vows, and the requirements of his religion. The problem is that he thought he was so good that he was God’s equal. Think about how Jesus told the story. He said that the Pharisee, “spoke this prayer to himself.” Who prays to oneself? In fact, the Pharisee wasn’t really praying to God, he was reciting a list of all that was good about himself and complaining about his neighbors.
The Pharisee sees no need for God’s help. He doesn’t ask for God’s help. He doesn’t get it either.
Now, take a look at the tax-collector. He is an admitted sinner. Most people would know this man as a dishonorable person. When he came before God he didn’t take the closest place to the temple. He didn’t raise his eyes to God — like children don’t look at their parents when they know they have done something wrong. He beat his breast and said words that came from his heart. “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
He was a man in need. He knew it. He went to God for help. He asked for help. He got God’s help. He walked home justified. That is, he returned home with his relationship to God made right again.
Here’s what we can take from this. When we pray, we pray as humans in need to a God who provides for us. We come to God in prayer, not because we have been so strong, but because we need God’s strength. We pray — for example we go to Mass — not to show others how good we are. We know we aren’t. We go to God in prayer to be lifted up as we go on trying to follow the Lord, to be his disciple. We pray to God for mercy and compassion in our lives, because like the rest of humanity, we too have sinned.
O God, be merciful to me as sinner.
Have a blessed week everyone.