By Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp.
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.” ~ Luke 1:52
(Readings: Sir.35:12-14,16-19, Ps.34, 2Tim.4:6-8,16-18 & Lk.18:9-14)
As the liturgical year gradually draws to a close, the readings call our attention to the fact that our life here on earth has an end. Thus, the readings we will be having in the Sundays before Advent center on the need to strengthen our spiritual life, pointing out some important factors that may constitute obstacle to our relationship with God and our neighbor. Last Sunday the Church calls us to reflect on the importance of Prayer and the need to pray continually and not to lose heart. And on this Sunday, still on his discourse on Prayer, Jesus goes further to narrate a parable about some people who are fully convinced of their own righteousness while despising others as less righteous. The parable illustrates the place of humility in our prayer life and relationships. We therefore, pray today, that, God may bestow on us the grace of genuine humility of heart which is necessary to please God.
The Pharisee in this parable sees his own righteousness and he speaks about it in his prayer. He takes full credit for his model of life. In his pride and self-assuming, the Pharisee exonerates himself that he is not like the rest of other sinful men, and more importantly, he is not like the Publican to whom he points his hands with condemnation. His boastful prayer was centered on his good religious practices rather than on God’s goodness, grace, and pardon. Hence, he enumerates his virtues and his religious deeds. In fact, he supposedly demands that God should give him a certificate of good performance, since he is not like the rest of other sinful men.
It is possible that we sometimes erroneously behave like this self-righteous Pharisee. We consider ourselves better than others by comparing our strong points with their weak points, thus deceiving ourselves that we are the best. We might let our imaginations engage in the unfortunate practice to self-exaltation, attributing all kinds of virtues to ourselves. We might want to project the good we do as against the evil done by the other, thinking that by so doing we would be considered better persons than others.
The Publican, on the other hand, in sincere humility, recognizes his sinfulness before God and beats his chest in sorrow, pleading for forgiveness; ‘Mea culpa, Mea culpa’. And, as Jesus says, the Publican goes home reconciled with God while the self-righteous Pharisee left the temple with his ego and the prayer he said to himself. Why? Because, ‘God’s eyes are always drawn to the man of humbled and contrite spirit, who trembles at God’s word, Is.66:2.
The Gospel story is a warning that judging and despising one’s neighbour closes the door to God’s heart. Expressing disdain and contempt for others is more than being mean and proud. It springs from the assumption that one is qualified to sit in the seat of judgment and to publicly shame those who do not conform to one’s standards and religious practices. Certainly God doe not listen to anyone who boasts in his or her goodness as if he or she achieved it without God’s grace, worse still if the person goes on to despise others in condemnation. Do you recognize God’s goodness to you? Do you humbly seek His mercy and do you show mercy to others, especially to those you find difficult to love and to forgive? Are you involved in destructive and demeaning gossips? Remember: God dwells with the humble of heart who recognize their own sinfulness and acknowledges God’s mercy and saving grace (cf. Isaiah 57:15).
Whenever we gather before the Lord in worship and prayer, two groups of people certainly gather; the Pharisee type and the Publican. The Pharisee type are those of us who see the worst in others. They judge and condemn others in their hearts, while presumptuously think that they are better off and God’s No 1. They may not be fully aware that such presumptuous pride not only hardens their hearts all the more towards repentance but also blocks the effectiveness of their prayer before the Lord. The Publican type, on the other hand, are those who are sincerely humble and contrite in heart to see the areas of their sinfulness and limitations and then plead God for forgiveness and mercy. Such people improve everyday in their walk with the Lord because they realize that there is work to be done. Hence, they often grow in their knowledge of God through constant reading of the bible, intense and consistent prayer life, and practice of virtue. When there is a misunderstanding, they do not immediately blame others, but first seek to find out if they have in any way contributed to the problem. They are also quick to forgive because, having experienced forgiveness, they understand the pain of guilt and the joy of forgiveness.
This parable and the first reading present both an opportunity and a warning. Pride leads to self-deception and spiritual blindness. True humility helps us to see ourselves as we really are in God’s eyes. Such realization of our true worth obliges us to seek God’s mercy and forgiveness. Indeed, as the book of Sirach tells us today in the first reading, “he who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heaven. The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds. It does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor withdraws till the Most High responds.” Building a community where everyone feels loved demands that we avoid the Pharisee mentality and be of service to one another. Our strengths, gifts and talents are gifts from the Lord meant for service to others.
Let us therefore heed the admonition of St. Paul in Romans 15:1-3, ‘We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”