30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C Year 2013 Sirach 35: 12-14,16-18; Ps 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23; 2 Timothy 4-6,16-18; Luke 18:14 Humble Sinners This Sunday, I have taken a theme from the Gospel, where Jesus gives us a parable about two different types of persons who go into the temple to pray: one is a proud Pharisee and the other is a humble tax collector. Pharisees were supposed to be pillars of the Faith and tax collectors the despised sinners and outcast for the Jewish people. Tax collectors were considered to be the worst type of sinners, since they supported the Roman Empire for whom they gathered taxes and by doing so enriched themselves in the process. They were considered to be traitors by the Jewish people and the worst type of sinners. The Pharisee tells God how good he is, praising himself in the process. Do we approach God in the same way? Do we ever remind God of the good things we have done for Him? Do we ever feel superior to others? Do our prayers mostly center on ourselves and our own needs? Do we categorize certain types of sinners as the Pharisee did? Then we need to learn to pray more humbly. I know that I do. Is there any type of person that you really dislike? Has there ever been a time when you have been arrogant like the Pharisee in the Gospel? Do you ever judge others and condemn them because they are not in Church or they are in the wrong one? What if notorious sinners were kneeling next you at Mass? Would you complain to God and thank God that you were not like them? Would you thank God as you pondered your own righteousness? I humbly admit I have. Let us all repent and ask God to let us see ourselves as He sees us. Let us ask God today to forgive us for times we have been like the spiritually proud Pharisee and not like the humble repentant tax collector. At Mass today let us look at Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and really mean the words we say before communion. Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. He invites us all to come for forgiveness, you and I together, as humble sinners. In our present day World, many of us can be self righteous when it comes to judging others and self assured when it comes to assessing ourselves. Jesus shows us that there is nobody so bad that a humble repentant prayer can’t save. Let us all pray and mean it. Lord have mercy on me a sinner.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:29:45 +0000
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