Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
One of the biggest problems with becoming convinced that we have made ourselves righteous is that we will tend to look down on everyone else. If our tithing and fasting is done to prove our value in the sight of God and others it is only natural that it will quickly become a source of pride. We will want to compare ourselves against those who don't seem to have done anything to prove themselves righteous and we will envy those who seem to have done more. Moreover, rather than being thankful, we will present these to God to show off to him how he lucked out by creating us. However, when we fast and tithe for this reason we entirely miss the inner conversion of heart at which these practices are aimed. In fact, when we try to justify ourselves by our own strength in this way we do less than nothing even if the external acts we perform seem to pass muster.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself
We ought to pay attention to the quality of our prayer life. Is it relational, or merely routine? Are we speaking to ourselves, to demonstrate something to ourselves, or are we actually directing our hearts and minds toward God? It is the latter that is the purpose of prayer. This does not mean we necessarily always hear the voice of God in response to every prayer. But nevertheless, our posture is meant to be one that is directed to him, that it at least attempts to listen for such a response. Prayer is not meant to become such a perfunctory checklist that God would find no room to enter.
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.’
What was so commendable about the posture of the tax collector? It probably wasn't so much a lack of self-esteem or a poor self-image as it was a deeply visceral sense of the fact that he could not stand before God on the basis of anything he had done. He couldn't fool himself into thinking he was righteous, which was all that the Pharisee had succeeded in doing. The tax collector remained at a distance because he lacked the sense of entitlement that the Pharisee had engendered in himself. The Pharisee had "his position", and probably woe to the man who would dare to take his spot. But of course Catholics are never like this. Or are we? Does our routine transform over time into a badge of honor or bragging rights? If we were asked, 'How do you dare to approach the living God?' would we refer to his mercy or a litany of deeds on our part?
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
In order to exalt ourselves we tend to try to first justify ourselves, "being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness" (see Romans 10:3). But if we are able to remain humble like the tax collector than God himself will justify us and raise us up.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you (see First Peter 5:6).
Humility before God is less about thinking negatively about ourselves and more about coming to a deeper realization of the greatness of our God and our dependence on him.
Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD;
as certain as the dawn is his coming,
and his judgment shines forth like the light of day!
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