Readings: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14
When we look over the broad scope of these 40 days of Lenten readings, perhaps the most common theme is repentance. Today's Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 51) is certainly an example of this.
But the next most common theme is the call to humility. I suppose that makes good sense because I’ve
always considered humility as the pre-requisite virtue, without which no other
virtue can stand. After all, if we don’t possess a humble heart there’s only
one other possibility: pride. And we all know where pride leads us. Just as
humility is the foundation stone of the virtuous life, pride is the foundation
stone of the sinful life.
Humility, you see, is
nothing less than an acceptance of reality. Humility is the awareness that we
are the creatures and God is the Creator. But more than that, humility is the
joyful realization that God created you and me, each one of us, in individual
acts of love. Humility is the shock of recognition, our breathtaking grasp that
this love is supremely manifested in God’s humbling of Himself to become one of
us, and give up His life for us. Indeed, can anything be more humbling than an awareness
of our poverty before God? True humility also helps us avoid the ephemeral piety condemned in our first reading from Hosea:
"...like morning mist, like the dew that disappears early" [Hos 6:4].
Pride, of course, takes God out of the picture. It must. Pride, you see, is the inordinate love of self, the love of self above all else. How can one be filled with pride, then, and accept the greatness of God, a greatness far beyond our comprehension? In a very real sense, the prideful person substitutes himself for God, placing himself and his needs and wants above God and everyone else. If you are prideful, how can you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself? [Mt 22:36-40] You can't.
Just consider today’s Gospel passage from Luke. It’s one of those clear, straightforward passages, a parable that exposes pride for what it really is, while at the same time allowing us to grasp the path to true humility.
First of all, Luke tells us
to whom Jesus addressed this parable:
“…to those
who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else” [Lk 18:9].
In other words, to an
audience of the prideful.
It’s also interesting that
Jesus’ cast of characters includes only two men: a Pharisee and a tax
collector. Jesus often castigated the one and the people despised the other. The
Pharisee, while seemingly at prayer, took up a position of prominence. But note
that he prays not to God but, as Jesus tells us, “…spoke this prayer to
himself” [Lk 18:11]. And how does he begin this prayer offered to himself? “Oh,
God…” Yes, indeed, as only the prideful can, he substitutes himself for God, even
in prayer. He goes on to thank himself for being so much better than the rest
of humanity, revealing a heart devoid of humility. And he especially scorns
that sinful tax collector who stands far behind him praying humbly with head
bowed.
Both the Pharisee and the
tax collector are spiritually impoverished, but only one of them realizes it. The
Pharisee’s pride prevents him from recognizing the truth about himself, while
the tax collector’s humility leads him to a recognition of this truth. Listen again
to His prayer:
“O God, be merciful to me
a sinner” [Lk 18:13].
With these few words he
acknowledges his total dependence on God and willingly exposes his true
condition to the only one who can heal him.
Jesus also reminds us that
only God knows our hearts, that we should resist making judgments based on our
personal biases. Because of his humble prayer, the widely despised tax
collector “goes home justified” while the esteemed and self-exalted Pharisee
must still be humbled.
The Eastern Church has long
encouraged praying a version of the tax collector’s prayer, revealed in a
wonderful little book, The Way of the Pilgrim.
Called the “Jesus Prayer,”
and prayed throughout the day to the very rhythm of the body’s breathing, it
too is simple:
“Lord Jesus Christ, have
mercy on me, a sinner.”
Although prayed by the
humble, I can think of fewer prayers more exalting.
Maybe we should all try that
throughout the day for the remainder of Lent.
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