3/18/2023 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 18:9-14
9 Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
10 “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
13 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.’
14 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.”
3/18/2023 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reflection: Luke 18:9-14
In order to be successful in a competitive world, you need to project your strength particularly your achievements. More often than not, you need to always show the best part of you and never admit your faults or weaknesses if you want to impress other people. In the process, you make a lot of cover-ups and many people for sure will applaud you.
Not so in the spiritual realm. There is no room for pride and arrogance in our relationship with God. On the other hand, humility is very important. In the gospel reading above, Jesus gives a special attention to the tax collector whom He said was justified because of his humility. In the last verse, He emphasized that He who humbles himself shall be exalted.
In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says “…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart…”. In other words, He is telling us to be humble like Him.