Beloved in Christ,
"O God, be merciful to me a sinner," prays the tax collector in today's Gospel passage from Luke 18. This humble plea by the tax collector in the temple, as he beats his chest, shows how we should approach God in prayer. In the last couple of weeks, we have reflected on Christian prayer, what it is, and its necessity. The gesture and prayer of the tax collector in our Gospel pericope this Sunday show us the importance of putting on the spirit of humility if we are to approach God appropriately and effectively. Be humble if you want your prayers to reach God. Be humble enough to acknowledge that you are a sinner and lack any merit before God, mainly on account of your good works.
Humility is a virtue that reminds us that our works lack merit; it is the grace and mercy of God that justifies us and makes our prayers avail before God. We all must come to acknowledge that without God's mercy and grace, we have no chance of making any spiritual progress, even if we check all the boxes for spiritual exercises: we pray the rosary daily, attend mass frequently, feed the poor, support pro-life efforts, fast, give a lot of money to the church, etc. While all these spiritual acts are essential and demanded by God, ultimately, it is God's grace, his mercy, and love that make us right and accepted before him. We must avoid pride and embrace humility. It is not praying to oneself by listing one's merit that appeals to God; it is being humble that exalts us before God.
When the tax collector, a hated public sinner in the Jewish community of Jesus' time, went to pray in the temple by distancing himself from the temple's sacred space, by daring not to raise his face to heaven, and by beating his breast as he cried to God in humility, he opened the heavens and received God's prompt response. He is redeemed, saved, and justified because his prayer is infused and borne in acknowledgment of his unworthiness to any claim to merit but his total trust and dependence on God's generous gift of mercy. In like manner, we must be quick to recognize our need for God's mercy and grace, no matter how good or holy we think we are. Even if we are Mother Teresa or Pope John Paul of our time, living an observable Christian life of charity, we must always be aware that our best efforts are likely to be tainted in some way. We must approach God and life with humility. God loves us and wants us saved. We need his mercy to start with. So, this Sunday and days ahead, when you approach God in prayer, use that self-identification: I am a sinner. Lord, please have mercy on me. Ask for mercy and act in mercy towards all.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.
The Church dedicates November to remembering and praying for the souls of all the faithful departed. I beg of you to offer Mass, rosary, penances, and other spiritual offerings, especially during this month, for the repose of the souls of your departed loved ones. Check the bulletin for the All Souls' Day mass schedule.
In Christ,
Fr. Alayode, OP
"O God, be merciful to me a sinner," prays the tax collector in today's Gospel passage from Luke 18. This humble plea by the tax collector in the temple, as he beats his chest, shows how we should approach God in prayer. In the last couple of weeks, we have reflected on Christian prayer, what it is, and its necessity. The gesture and prayer of the tax collector in our Gospel pericope this Sunday show us the importance of putting on the spirit of humility if we are to approach God appropriately and effectively. Be humble if you want your prayers to reach God. Be humble enough to acknowledge that you are a sinner and lack any merit before God, mainly on account of your good works.
Humility is a virtue that reminds us that our works lack merit; it is the grace and mercy of God that justifies us and makes our prayers avail before God. We all must come to acknowledge that without God's mercy and grace, we have no chance of making any spiritual progress, even if we check all the boxes for spiritual exercises: we pray the rosary daily, attend mass frequently, feed the poor, support pro-life efforts, fast, give a lot of money to the church, etc. While all these spiritual acts are essential and demanded by God, ultimately, it is God's grace, his mercy, and love that make us right and accepted before him. We must avoid pride and embrace humility. It is not praying to oneself by listing one's merit that appeals to God; it is being humble that exalts us before God.
When the tax collector, a hated public sinner in the Jewish community of Jesus' time, went to pray in the temple by distancing himself from the temple's sacred space, by daring not to raise his face to heaven, and by beating his breast as he cried to God in humility, he opened the heavens and received God's prompt response. He is redeemed, saved, and justified because his prayer is infused and borne in acknowledgment of his unworthiness to any claim to merit but his total trust and dependence on God's generous gift of mercy. In like manner, we must be quick to recognize our need for God's mercy and grace, no matter how good or holy we think we are. Even if we are Mother Teresa or Pope John Paul of our time, living an observable Christian life of charity, we must always be aware that our best efforts are likely to be tainted in some way. We must approach God and life with humility. God loves us and wants us saved. We need his mercy to start with. So, this Sunday and days ahead, when you approach God in prayer, use that self-identification: I am a sinner. Lord, please have mercy on me. Ask for mercy and act in mercy towards all.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.
The Church dedicates November to remembering and praying for the souls of all the faithful departed. I beg of you to offer Mass, rosary, penances, and other spiritual offerings, especially during this month, for the repose of the souls of your departed loved ones. Check the bulletin for the All Souls' Day mass schedule.
In Christ,
Fr. Alayode, OP
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