Gospel: Luke 18:9-14
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own
righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple
area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The
Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank
you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous —
or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my
whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even
raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to
me a sinner. I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself
will be exalted.
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Reflection:
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton once said, “The gate of heaven is very low;
only the humble can enter it.”
Is humility the key to the heart of God? Yes it is. By our humility we
are able to access the sacred passageway to the heart of God. By our humility
we are able to make God smile at us and we are able to make God embrace us.
Humility is not only the key to the heart of God for this is also the key
to the heart of our fellowmen. We are silently admired and respected if we are
always humble and if we don’t seek exaltation and prominence.
In our gospel reading this Sunday there’s a Pharisee who boasted about
his good qualities before God. Why did he boast? Perhaps the Pharisee thought
that in doing so God would take notice and be impressed of his good qualities.
But we cannot impress God and we certainly cannot use our good deeds to bully
our way to the heart of God.
On the other hand the tax collector and judged as sinner by many did not
only humble himself before God. He also acknowledged his own sinfulness in
front of God. By humbly admitting his own sinfulness and shortcomings the tax
collector gained the mercy, forgiveness and favor of God.
Do you also want to gain the mercy, forgiveness and favor of God? –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
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