26/03/2022 | Reflection 1442 || Fr Joachim Lakra OP on Luke 18:9-14

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Dear friends, when something is already full, we cannot fill it again. Similarly, if a person considers oneself full of knowledge and all intelligent, he/she cannot be taught again; or in other words, there is no room for learning. Likewise, if a person considers oneself righteous, upright and all holy; he/she is not in need of any grace and mercy of God. That’s what we see in the Gospel passage today; a Pharisee and a tax-collector come to the temple to pray. The Pharisee brags about himself before the Lord. He says, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” He not only exalts himself but also puts down the others – ‘I am not like others’, ‘I am not like this tax-collector’. He was so full of himself. He comes to pray but speaks only about himself with his nose in the air. He was full and did not keep any space for the grace and mercy of the Lord to come in.
On the other hand, the tax-collector humbles himself. He does not even dare to look up; he beats his breast and says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner”. He empties himself to receive the mercy of God. He does not speak about others, does not compare himself with others; but just surrenders himself to be cleansed by the abundant mercy of God. And we know whose prayer was heard, who goes home justified? The tax-collector.
Today, we need to reflect, where do we stand or with whom do we stand? With the Pharisee or with the tax-collector? Do we consider ourselves far better than others, holier than others, and more righteous than others? Are we full of ourselves? – ‘I am always right’, ‘it is the others who do not do the right things.’ Or do we take time to look into ourselves, trying to ask for the grace of God to overcome our weaknesses? When we come to pray, how do we pray? What is our attitude while praying? Do we chant the glory of our achievements before the Lord? Or so we seek the mercy of the Lord in prayer? Remember, if we are full, we cannot be filled; but if we empty ourselves, God can fill us with his mercy and love.

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