April 2, 2011

Read It:
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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Reflect about It: "Be Merciful to me a sinner" is what the tax collector says to God. The tax collector knew that he was not worthy to be forgiven, but had hope that God would be merciful to him. He had a heart that was humble and contrite, he knew he did not deserve mercy, but that he would be forgiven because he knew he was a sinner. He is unlike the Pharisee, who seemed to do all the right stuff, but not with the right heart. We are all sinners, Do we truly admit that?

Pray about It: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

Live It! Challenge: Ponder the attitudes behind the things that you do. Change one that is not so good.