 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Saturday, October 22, 2022 Luke 18: 9-14 Luke 18: 9-14 Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, praying this, God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful, sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” For Reflection This is one of those hard Gospel readings that everyone – including me – wants to try to hear in such a way that we come out like the publican! But the truth is, most of us, much of the time, are a lot more like the Pharisee – obedient to the “rules” as we understand them, obedient to God as we believe God expects us to be. And when we are, it is awfully easy to look across the room at the ones who don’t seem to have it together – whose sins are different than our own, whose level of social acceptability is “lower” than we think ours is. Let’s do try to hear it though.Let’s try to hear Jesus.And not our excuses. It is, after all, the truth that will set us free. |
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