Saturday, March 9, 2002
3rd Week of Lent
1st Reading: Hos 6:1-6
Gospel: Lk 18:9-14
Jesus
told another parable to some persons fully convinced of their own righteousness,
who looked down on others, "Two men went up to the Temple to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by
himself and said: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people,
grasping, crooked, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. I fast
twice a week and give the tenth of all my income to the Temple.'
In the meantime the tax collector, standing far off, would
not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying: 'O God,
be merciful to me, a sinner.'
I tell you, when this man went down to his house, he had
been set right with God, but not the other. For whoever makes himself
out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be raised."
Commenary
One of Jesus' favorite themes: the great will be humbled, the humble will be lifted up. The last shall be first. Perhaps he learned it from his mother: "He has put down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up those who are downtrodden. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty." (Lk 1:52-53) The Bible they both loved to ponder is full of such stories, where God favors the weak and lowly: Joseph the slave, Moses the tongue-tied, David the shepherd king (see tomorrow's first reading). Jesus continues the tradition: born in a stable, a carpenter's son of Nazareth, shepherds and fishermen his first followers. What good news! What a relief! God delights in us ordinary and everyday people. Truth is better than image. When you find your few minutes to sit with God today, enjoy the freedom of being loved as you are.