Today is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year C. As I have shared with you, the liturgical readings last week and this week are about prayer. Some of us know about prayer because we say a prayer every day. There are some who pray almost the whole day. Whatever the benefit of prayer is, I believe it not essentially for God, but for our own good, for our conversion and a way to constantly communicate with God, who knows what is best for us.
We heard our first reading from the Book of Sirach which reminds us about “God of justice, who knows no favorites.” He listens to all of our prayers, especially the cry of the poor, meaning those who are truly dependent on Him. He is not deaf to the crying of the orphans and widows who pour out their complaint to Him. God doesn’t tolerate favoritism; instead He hears the people’s prayer without delay. What is needed is our complete resignation and not expectations. Faith counts the most in our own prayer life.
Dealing with unanswered prayers does not justify our constant blaming of God’s treatment towards us. We cannot simply accuse God who remains passive with regards to our supplications. Maybe we need to discover much about ourselves that our mind is less focused on God, or maybe our ears don’t listen attentively to God’s voice. It is significant not to focus fully on ourselves and to expect instant results according to our terms. Prayer is not so much about asking God for He knows the recesses of our heart’s desire. Nevertheless, it is more appropriate that we express gratitude to God who knows how to provide us with a particular need. God knows everything, including our pain, struggles and material needs. Throughout the gospel, Jesus is encouraging His disciples to pray especially during life’s trials and difficulties. In today’s gospel, Jesus narrates to us about two men praying in the temple area.
First, a Pharisee who prays to God and yet he is actually praising himself. He doesn’t know that he is praying to himself, lifting his own seat because of his pious actions. He thanks God that he is different from others, not being immoral and being obedient to the law. He feels better about himself, thus putting himself above his need rather than the need of God. This gospel parable is actually directed towards the Pharisees who trusted in their own righteousness.
Second, the tax collector, who squeezes his fellow Jews to pay their taxes under the foreign domination by Rome. However, he is very conscious of his manner and behavior to the fact that he acknowledges before God that he is a sinner. He is honest and truthful to God. Thus, the tax collector went home justified, which means he was able to open up himself to God, and at the same time he arrived at his own self discovery and assessment.
We learn that being honest in everything is an invitation to prayer in order to arrive at the truth, humbling ourselves to foster a relationship with God which we often think of as the fruits of prayer.
I am drawn to admire the tax collector’s attitude simply because he knows how to evaluate himself with sincerity of heart, then finishes his prayer being whole again. Prayer is not about asking, but being at peace with yourself and God.
Having a meek heart opens up every possibility. St. Augustine says, “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” St. Augustine understands that if we presume through pride to make ourselves the center of our own identities, the result is basically, self-pretentious. We need humility in order to recognize the love and the divine intervention of God that sustains us.
Therefore, let us return to God in prayer, not the way the Pharisee prayed, expecting a reward, but the humble prayer of a tax collector who approached God in the sincerest way possible. Let us strive to live more peacefully connected with God in truth and be restored completely renewed and healed.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa