The Humbling Effect

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 23 October 2022

Readings: Sirach 35:12–14, 16–18; Psalm 34:2–3, 17–19, 23; 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18; Luke 18:9–14

(The Pharisee and the Tax Collector)
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/fGhbOh2isYU 

God has blessed us with a beautiful Mother Earth. As I write these few reflections, I am crisscrossing the beautiful, lush green landscape between Bangalore and Pune by an express train. I am heading towards Pune to preach a retreat. Having rained, the land looks majestic like a bride in this festive season of Divali. As the train runs between the paddy fields and forests, towns and villages, rivers and lakes, human and non-human habitats, I am nothing but thankful for all that God does for us without the slightest human effort to maintain such a massive, vast, vibrant and wonderful creation. It humbles us to see the enormous creativity of God, which makes our eyes sore with gladness and joy. Perhaps, the suggested readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time remind us that finally, we should allow God to be God. Only the virtue of humility is the only way to attain the vision of God.

1. Being human means being humble 

Jesus narrates a story of two men with different backgrounds at prayer in a synagogue. A Pharisee who is known for his uprightness is standing and praying in the synagogue. Instead of being grateful, Pharisee congratulates himself and points at the fellow Jew who is also standing at a distance praying with all humility. He is a tax collector, therefore a sinner. The pharisee distinguishes himself from the "rest of humanity - greedy, dishonest, adulterous - or even like this tax collector." He says, "I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income" (Luke 18:11-12). What matters most for Jesus’s succinct observation is the words that are uttered by the Pharisee: "I’m not like that tax collector." 

While the tax collector standing at a distance raising his eyes to heaven utters a very few but profound words of shame and contrite heart: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:9). The short phrase but uttered with great humility and desiring mercy wins Jesus’ words of appreciation. He knows that before God no one is righteous. This man went home righteous and forgiven. God does not require our lengthy, unending and continuous prayers. God wants our short and direct prayers uttered with sincerity of heart. God loves sinners and people who are broken but have a great sense of humility. God is happy with our simplicity and not with duplicity. In prayer, we need not show off. God sees everything in secret and rewards with bountiful graces (Matthew 6:4). In God only honesty and sincerity works. If God can beautify the immense universe with such vibrant colours, creatures and creation, will He not give what we ask him with our sense of lowliness and meekness? 

2. God dwells in our hearts

Often we try to find God in unknown places. We want to find Him only there as if we have fixed our God in such a location. God does not want us to seek Him where we have built for Him a brick and morter sanctuary. However, God wants us to meet him where He is present. In fact, God comes to meet us where we are. More importantly, God is present in the inner sanctuary of our hearts. We must meet God in such a place. Moreover, God comes to us in many ways. St Peter says, "You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5). Jesus says God is “neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem” but “in spirit” (John 4:21, 23). Therefore, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This means that God dwells in us (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22). 

St. Paul writes to his fellow pilgrims in his preaching ministry of our Lord explaining to them his struggles as apostle, especially during his imprisonment. He writes his overwhelming distressing struggles. He is also discouraged because many have left him in the middle. However, he is certain that God is truly present in his life’s struggles and strides. He says so boldly, "the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it" (2 Timothy 4:17).  In spite, of his great courage and the gift to do the unimaginable, he brings in God and says it is all possible because of God. He humbles before the majesty, power and dominion of God. Paul is a witness to God's enormous mercy.

3. Humble person’s prayer pierces the heavens. 

The scripture recognizes the misery and distress. We move ahead with a sense of God’s favour in spite of struggles and missed opportunities. In the book of Sirach writes God "hears the cry of the oppressed. The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint. The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens." (Sirach 35:17-20).  God knows no favourites. We cannot bribe him, impress him or create favours with our good deeds or faithful observance of religious duties like fasting, pilgrimages, etc. What is needed on our part is a humble heart. Madeleine L'Engle writes, “Trouble always comes whenever we begin to take credit for any of the gifts of the Spirit, be they gifts of prayer, tongues, prophecy, art, science. . . . Modern medicine suffers, despite all its advances, because it has almost completely forgotten that healing is a gift as well as a science.”

In a world of self-righteousness and self-pity, being humble and other-centred is difficult to emulate. Pride does not win, but humility does. Therefore, having a sense of that we are all sinners and yet called by God to accomplish His mission in whatever way possible must be our guiding principle. God redeems the lives of His humble servants. God has created us with all our imperfections and limitations. But God knows how to bring perfection in us. It is said that God writes straight with our crooked lines. We are on a pilgrimage of life. We cannot walk our lives alone. We need God and his love to make us complete.

Questions for reflections:

1. The Gospels challenge us to awaken our hearts to see things clearly. In what way, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector makes me uncomfortable?
2. How does the Gospel challenge you in your life and the challenge the world faces?
3. Do you compare yourself with others in matters of spiritual, material, academic or personal talents or traits?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, you hear the cry of the poor. You confront the evildoers. You destroy them with your power and might. When we cry to You, You hear us from all our distress. Lord, you are close to the brokenhearted. You are there for those who are low and discouraged. You redeem the lives of Your servants.

Lord, help me to understand your way of doing things. So that I may always be obedient to your Holy Will. I make this prayer, in Jesus our Lord. Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

21 October 2022