Word to the Wise
Saturday, March 21, 2020 - 3rd Week of Lent - Sat
[Hos 6:1-6 and Luke 18:9-14]"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 [Pharisee]; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." [Luke]
Humility is NOT self-abasement designed to make us look good! It is a sober self-estimate that shows gratitude for blessings and a realization of what our proper role is in a given situation or community. The Tex Collector calls himself "a sinner." This reflects his understanding of himself before God (a sinner) and in the community (which regarded tax collectors as sinners). The Pharisee exalts his role in the community, but he also tries to exalt himself in the sight of God by thanking God for making him better than the rest of humanity. God did nothing of the sort. It is the Pharisee who tries to exalt himself above the "rest of humanity." His dedication to the strict observance of the Mosaic Law did not make him "better" than others. It could have made him a good example to follow if his attitude had been different.
Attitude is important in prayer. On retreats, I challenge the retreatants to ask themselves, "How am I praying?" This means not only the particular ways but the particular attitudes that we bring to the experience of prayer. What are we expecting? What are we really saying? What do we know of our relationship with God? Some folks find it helpful to have a good spiritual director to answer those questions, but that resource is not always available. Just asking those questions can lead us to a new appreciation of who we are in the sight of God, which can help us immensely in understanding who we are in the sight of "the rest of humanity." AMEN