30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

October 27, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18

Psalm 24 “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.”

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18

Gospel reading according to Luke 18: 9-14

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Homily:  

Anywhere, anytime, and to anybody Jesus has parable to give.  When he thinks a certain group of people that needs to hear his parable, he gives them without doubt, without second thought, and without fear.  He is free to tell them his parable, his story.  This time, Jesus talked and/or confronted those people who believed themselves that they were righteous, God-fearing, doers of the laws but despised their neighbors, did not mingle with them, avoided them, even cursed them.  They were the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes or scholars of the Law, if the priests of the Temple were present, they were included and even the whole Sanhedrin, the elite in the community, as opposed to the ordinary people, simple, ignorant, uneducated, poor Jewish people, of whom those who thought they were righteous were sinners and condemned.  “Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else” (Luke 18: 9).  Jesus gave them a parable so that they may realize and could see what kind of righteousness they have.

In the parable, Jesus gave two characters, the first one was the Pharisee and the other one was a tax collector.  “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector” (Luke 18: 10).  On the one hand, the Pharisee(s), represent those people who think they are righteous (banal), are the separated ones, they separated themselves from the ordinary and simple Jewish people who do not know the Laws (Torah) and the Prophets; while they (the Pharisees) read and studied them but without putting into action what they read and studied..  Because of their knowledge with the Books of Moses and the Prophets they are dismayed, downcast, and looked down the ordinary people (minamata at minamaliit), they thought themselves as holy, obedient, righteous people of God.  The Pharisee was aware of what he was thinking and saying for he was very convinced of himself of his righteousness in front of God.  On the other hand, the tax collector(s), represent the sinful or sinners, are Jews who are chosen by the Romans to collect taxes from the (Jewish and foreigners who do business in Israel) peoples.  In spite they received regular salary from the Romans still they added higher taxes collected from the people for their personal gains which the Romans allowed that is why they were the hated people in Israel.  They are the second sinners in Jewish society, the first were the prostitutes. 

Jesus described the two characters according to similarities and contrast. 

The Pharisee and the tax collector went up to the Temple to pray on that day.  Both of them found their places to meet God.  The Pharisee found a place where he can be seen by many, he positioned himself near the Holy of Holiest. “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’.” (Luke 18: 11-12). The Pharisee, on the frst hand, raised his head as if making himself proud and boasting (nagmamalaki at nagmamayabang).  The Pharisee boasting himself, started praying to God, though he recognized God but he delivered his achievements, what he has done, and compared himself to others that he was not bad but good Pharisee – he is not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous.  He pointed one after another his accomplishments - he fasted twice a week, and paid tithes on his whole income, he differed himself from the rest of the Jews, as if he was telling God he was righteous, holy and a saint.  But always and everywhere he used “I” and he never used “us, or we, or you.”  As if he did not need God any longer for he was already perfect.        

The tax collector, on the second hand, found also his place.  He positioned himself at the end part of the Temple, at the back of the Temple near the door’s threshold.  “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’.” (Luke 18: 13).  The tax collector bowed down his face on the floor, humbling and begging.  He was amenable to all sins, what he did to his countrymen, cheating, stealing money of the poor and rich as well by adding higher tax rates, for what he did not do or accomplished to do; he was very sorry for the sins he had committed.  He had no face to present to God that’s is why he bowed down low, at a distance and would not even raised his eyes to heaven, and his face was on the ground, maybe he fell on his knees and begged God’s mercy, compassion and forgiveness for all the sins he had done and ready to amend his life.

Jesus concluded, “’I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbled himself will be exalted’.” (Luke 18: 14). The tax collector will go home bless and receive forgiveness, but the Pharisee he will go home the same, nothing changes, no metanoia, for he boasted himself and uplifted himself up, without any blessing from the Lord God nor received forgiveness for he thought he was the righteous man of all.

All of us are sinners, we committed many mistakes, errors, and faults every day of our lives, we have to admit and accept them and bring them to God with humble hearts and minds, even to confess them to the priest for absolution, and to amend our attitudes, our ways of living, our relating to one another, and be resolved that we will not do again the same sins, mistakes, errors and faults.  Only in humility and not in boasting, we can find and receive forgiveness, mercy and compassion from our loving God, the Father of all who does not count our sins but waiting for our return and of need of Him.