THE PROUD AND THE HUMBLE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Our Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel of last week taught us how to pray without ceasing, as we expect the intervention of God in our life situations (Lk.18;1). This week He is presenting to us how we should pray with a story of two people, the pharisee and the tax collector who went into the temple of God to pray. Among the Jews, the tax collectors or Publicans as public servants, were regarded as crooked and sinful people who impose taxes on others, collect bribes to enrich themselves, while the Pharisees were seen as those who observe all the dictates of the law as handed down by God to Moses. The Pharisee in his prayer was sincere because he really fasts twice a week, pays his tithe even more than required, he was not unjust or adulterous, but his problem was, in his good works, he thought that God now owes him reward and salvation. Thus, in his short prayer he mentioned himself I! I! more than six times, he was full of himself, and prayed not to God but to himself. He felt that he had no sin, hitherto, despised the others to the extent of pointing accusing fingers on the tax collector, just as we criticise and condemn those that worship with us in the house of God. The Pharisee instead of examining his own conscience, he examined the conscience of the other and confessed their sins, of greed, injustice adultery and so on, then, by deriding and condemning them, he became their judge. He exalted himself to a very high position and from there he looks down and insults the other people. He was swimming in the ocean of vain glory and self righteousness. By so doing, he had a greater sin which is the sin of pride. He was a proud man without any trace of humility, while humility is the soil in which other virtues flourish. From the first reading, we learnt that God does not show any partiality in attending to the rich or the poor, the pfofessional or the amateur, the teacher or the student to mention but a few, and again, that the prayer of the humble pierces the clouds (Sirach 35;6-8,16-18).
However, the prayer of the tax collector was a model prayer. He concentrated on himself without too many words, only accusing himself by beating his chest with simple words saying, Lord be merciful to me, I am a sinner (Lk.18;9-14). This was the most motivating and moving prayer. He was just saying the truth before God with conviction and humility. This is a prayer from the heart that touches the heart of God, no wander Jesus confirmed that he went home happy and reconciled with God, and then warned us that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will,be exalted.
Hence, there are traces of the pharisee in our prayer life, and practice of christianity, especially on being blind to our sins, but with eyes and mouth wide open to the mistakes of others. The scripture said that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom.3;9-18). We should resign our hopes and aspiratios on God's mercy, because he prefers the broken and contrite hearts, that knows and accepts their failures, than the complacent and arrogant that claims to have never sinned. St Paul admonished us that only those who carry their crosses with perseverance to the end will receive the crown of eternal glory. May we then ask God to give us the spirit of humility to acknowledge our weaknesses, and the wisdom to learn from our mistakes, with the hope that the grace of God is enough to lead us to the everlasting joy on the last day, through Christ our Lord.
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