Good morning, happy Sunday.
Once again, St. Luke gives us another story that we may heard a number of times before. It is the story of the tax collector and the Pharisee.
Both men go into the Temple to pray. The story goes on to tell us that the tax collector goes off to some dark place of the Temple and does not dare lift his eyes to heaven. The Pharisee, on the other hand, takes a predominate place where all can see him, lifts his hands to heaven and takes on a “holier than thou” look and offers his prayer.
So what is the problem? Well it is what each man has to say to God. The tax collector prays for forgiveness saying to God, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”(Lk 18:13 ff) The Pharisee, on the other hand, tells God all the good he has done. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector”, and so he goes on. (Lk18:11ff)
Henry Ward Beecher, the American clergyman wrote, “Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.”
I am sure we all have encountered such a person who will not tire of telling you of all the good they do and are proud of it. I do believe that they have already received their reward.
A blessed and safe Sunday to you all.
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Vinnie, fcm and the
Bros and Srs of the
Franciscan House of Prayer.
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