Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-1.; Luke 18:9-14 Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted. (Lk 18:14) What kind of prayer is pleasing to God? Jesus told a vivid story of two people who went to the house of God to pray. Why did the Lord accept one person’s prayer and reject the other’s prayer? Luke gives us a hint: despising one’s neighbour closes the door to God’s heart. Contempt is more than being mean-minded. It springs from the assumption that one is qualified to sit in the seat of judgment and to ascertain who is good and just. This story of Jesus caused offense for those who regarded tax collectors as unworthy of Gods grace and favour. How could Jesus put down a religious leader and raise up a public sinner? This parable of Jesus speaks about the nature of prayer and our relationship with God. It does this by contrasting two very different attitudes towards prayer. The Pharisee, who represented those who take pride in their religious practices, exalted himself at the expense of others. Absorbed with his own sense of self-satisfaction and self-congratulation he mainly prayed with himself. His prayer consisted of prideful boasts of what he did and of disdain for those he despised. The Pharisee tried to justify himself; but only God can justify. The tax collector, who represented those despised by religious people, humbled himself before God and begged for mercy. His prayer was heard by God because he had remorse for his sins. He sought God with humility rather than with pride. This parable presents both an opportunity and a warning. Pride leads to illusion and self-deception. Humility helps us to see ourselves as we really are and it inclines us to Gods grace and mercy. God dwells with the humble of heart who recognize their own sinfulness and who acknowledge Gods mercy and saving grace. I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit (Is 57:15). God cannot hear us if we despise others. Do you humbly seek Gods mercy and do you show mercy to others, especially those you find difficult to love and to forgive? This parable also teaches us a vital lesson on self-confidence and self-centeredness as they they relate to a persons ego. Self-confidence is a virtue in business, in our families, and in our parishes. Think about St. Paul. He was very confident in his abilities. He was a fearless evangelist. He established churches everywhere he went. He taught, wrote, and performed miracles. Without self-confidence, Paul would not have been able to accomplish all that he did. A modern-day psychologist might describe Paul as having a “strong ego.” But that’s a lot different from a person who has a “large ego.” People with strong egos have let life’s ups and downs reveal their strengths and weaknesses - and they have learned how to use their strengths in a productive way. Paul was bold and pushy. He liked to get his way. He made a lot of mistakes. But he learned from them. He let them teach him humility. He even spoke about how proud and self-centered he was before he met the Lord (Phil 3:3-10). By contrast, people with large egos are self-centered. They are always looking for adulation and recognition. They elevate themselves over others and look down on the people they consider inferior to themselves. The Pharisee in this Gospel parable had a large ego. He lived a moral life. He fasted, and he gave money to the poor. But he let his goodness go to his head, as he looked down on the repentant tax collector. His ego was so large that he didn’t have room for anyone else - not even the Lord - in his life. God wants us to be confident. He wants us to develop the gifts that he has given to us to their fullest potential so that we can push forward and build the kingdom. But we have to watch out for the trap of pride. Being confident is a good thing. But we always have to be sure that our confidence is grounded in humility, not self-glory. That’s the secret to having a strong ego, not a large one. “Lord, may your love direct all my thoughts and actions that I may do what is pleasing to you. Teach me true humility and strength of character. Show me where I lack charity and forgiveness toward my neighbour and help me to be generous in giving to others what you have so generously given to me.” Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 11:13:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015