Deacon Tom Anthony

Gospel Lk 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
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.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
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.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

As Christians we are taught to be raised up and to be exulted but in a different way than what would be expected. We are not the Pharisee who, through his own pride and worldly accomplishments, lifts himself up while demeaning those around him through pride and arrogance. We are exulted in a different way. This is centered around a spiritual awakening that starts with our relationship with Jesus Christ. The closer we draw to Jesus, the more we are raised up. It starts with an acceptance of Him as our Savior. With that comes a removal of pride and a reliance on the materialism of this world. The focus must be on His greatness and our smallness in comparison. If Jesus is in fact God then we must treat Him as such. As our God and Savior, He can lift us up and enjoin us to Him in a beautiful and loving relationship. Within this entrance into this experience we are made helpless yet are strengthened beyond anything this world can offer in comparison.

We cannot be like the Pharisee who puts himself on a pedestal and enshrouds himself with accolades while he demeans those around him. We cannot gauge our worldly successes and compare them with other people, intentionally stepping on them as we do so. Our focus must be on everyone being lifted up together through Jesus Christ. Together, as Christians, we must go forward together with no one being left behind. We follow Jesus and simultaneously create a path for others to follow. The Light of Christ must shine through our actions and our spirituality.

Sacred Scripture tells us that God does not have favorites and that He is a God of Justice. Even though this is the case, He will always hear the cry of the oppressed and downtrodden. This is because they are more apt to surrender to Him because of the crushing effect the material world has on them. Meanwhile, those who have received riches from this world have embraced all that it has to offer and, as a consequence, have accepted it and put it above God. Suffering clears a path towards God and Eternal Salvation. This is what it means to walk with the Crucified Christ. Through suffering our love can be forged and made so much stronger. We are urged to turn our backs on the material world and move forward towards Jesus Christ. When we do move forward to Him, the suffering will come to an end. Our time on this earth is limited and so is any suffering that might come with it as long as we look towards Jesus Christ.

When we enter into prayer with God, we surrender to Him and respond to His call for us to love Him. The prayer must be genuine for it to be heard and responded to. We must go to our inner room and shut the door. Prayer is the most personal thing we can ever do and it must be approached that way. Nothing remains hidden from God. It is through prayer that we receive comfort and God’s Love. He already knows what we want but He wants to hear it from us. This act solidified our relationship with Him. All He wants us to do is love Him. His love has the capability of healing all wounds and offering a life worth living through Him and in Him. We just need to humble ourselves in order to be lifted up.

Deacon Tom