30th Sunday, Oct. 26, 2013 [Sirach 35:12-14,16-18; 2Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18; Lk. 18:9-14] - Fr. Justin ILEKA Though God is an impartial Judge, He manifestly shows He has a soft spot for the poor, the fatherless, the widow and other more vulnerable persons. Those who help or advocate for them are certainly God’s special ministers. God gives such advocates/helpers special privileges/blessings. In God also we encounter a Merciful Father. God gives us the option of meeting Him as the Just Judge or as the Merciful Father. We enjoy the later option when we sincerely and humbly plead before God in the words and actions of the Gospel’s Tax Collector: “GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER”. This humble admittance of our sinfulness places us before the Merciful God rather before the Just Judge. It saves us from the ordeal of justifying ourselves before the only Just One. Those who would prefer to meet God as a Just Judge, like the Gospel’s Pharisee, must be ready to face their full trial. Note that the standard in this trial is not that neighbor of ours whom we feel we are better than. The standard is the perfect and the sinless. Only the proud and the self –righteous would claim to be justified before the perfect and sinless. The little good in the proud is exaggerated and seen as merited. And the great evil in the proud is overlooked or excused or minimized. No wonder God opposes the proud but gives His grace to the humble [1Pt. 5:5]. We only deceive ourselves when we compare our goodness/holiness with those of others rather than with that of Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And what is it that is good/holy in us if not by the grace of God? Indeed we can only do all things by the power of Him that strengthens us [Philip. 4:13]. May God be merciful to us sinners!!! Remain blessed!!!
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 11:48:45 +0000
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