Gospel Reflection for Sunday October 23rd

The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Being Honest with myself and with God

The opening line of the first reading this Sunday sets the tone and theme for the Gospel that follows. We are told that the Lord is no respecter of personages. He shows no (more) respect of personages to the detriment of the poor. A personage is a dignitary, a VIP, or as we might say today a celebrity. All are equal in the eyes and heart of God. However there are times in our lives that we think of ourselves as being better than we actually are. Or more to the point, we look down on others and tell ourselves we are better than they are. This is the context of our gospel this Sunday.

Two men go to the Temple to pray. One is a Pharisee the other is a tax collector. The Pharisees were the keepers of the Jewish Law and generally thought of themselves as being superior to everyone else. Tax collectors were Jews who collected money for the Romans from other Jews. There were hated and despised, especially by their own people. There were seen as sinners and outcasts. Yet both of these men from very different backgrounds come to the temple to pray. The Pharisee walks to the front and proudly presents himself in prayer. Or so he thinks. We read that he stood there and said this prayer to himself. This is his first mistake. He is not praying to God he is talking to himself! He is telling himself how great and wonderful he is, while casting an eye towards the tax collector, whom he criticises and condemns. The tax collector on the other hand stood some distance away, not even daring to raise his eyes to heaven. He prayer is honest, humble and heartfelt; ‘God, have mercy on me a sinner’. Using today’s language, he might have said, Lord, it’s me and I am sorry. He knows he is a sinner, yet he also knows that God is God of mercy. He knows deeply in his heart that he is a loved sinner.

As we continue our journey through this Year Mercy, we can draw great strength from this humble and honest tax collector. His recognition that he is a sinner is not a sign of weakness but a sign of faith and confidence in God who loves and forgives him. There is no fear or guilt in him. He comes before God freely in confidence as he presents himself to God in humility. He knows in faith that he will be received warmly and forgiven. Today we are asked to come before God with this attitude. We are asked to come to God in prayer in humility. We are invited to come before God without fear while be being honest with ourselves and being honest with God. As Thomas Merton reminds us, ‘pride makes us artificial, humility makes us real.

• Michael Moore OMI