October 26, 2025 at Saint Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples, FL
Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18 + Psalm 34 + 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18 + Luke 18: 9-14
A young monk that I know once said that Jesus spoke in parables to keep us wondering, and this parable leaves us plenty to wonder about being cautious in any judgement about the two men, and about what Luke is telling us. There is something to wonder about when it comes to prayer, but this is not Luke’s instruction on prayer even if it does follow a parable about a woman who would not stop her plea for justice before a judge. There is something here to notice about justification, but that comes at the end.
Neither man is condemned in this parable. The Pharisee does good things. He fasts, he tithes, he prays. The other man is not condemned either in spite of the fact that he has been part of an unjust system that oppresses the poor. So, this parable is not told or repeated to judge a Pharisee or a Tax Collector. This is something to notice about their prayer that is a bit more important. There is a stark difference between the two men that has nothing to do with where they are in the Temple or the words. What is important is what is revealed about what was in their hearts and their attitudes toward God and other people.
We should notice how many times the Pharisee uses the word “I”. His prayer had nothing to do with gratitude to God. He wanted God to know how good he was. It would seem that his life is devoid of relationships. Love of God and Love of Neighbor is the bedrock of what Jesus taught. You wonder how he can love God when he is so full of himself, and how can he love his neighbor when he sees only their sins and faults? For all of his obedience to the rules, he has missed what matters most. There is a quick test to see where you stand between these two examples. Count how many times you use the word “I” in your prayer.
The other man’s focus is God and God’s mercy. He knows what he needs and who can provide it. There is about his posture and his words an authentic humility. He needed God. A wonderful example of great prayer is the Gloria with which we begin our liturgy every weekend. “We” replaces I because we live in relationships, and “You” is repeated over and over again.
That Pharisee stands as a challenge in our culture where admission of human weakness and failure is almost taboo. It is not cool to admit your mistakes or that you need help. This failure of honesty and humility runs from the highest office today to the playgrounds of our schools. With a carful look at both of these men we might see ourselves not as one or the other, but because there something of both of them is within us.
Privileged as we are, we need to come to terms with how look at others, and sometimes with how proud we are with what we have forgetting where it all came from to begin with. On the other hand, when we honestly face our failures and our sins, we need to come to terms with our infinite worth in God’s eyes. We are not hopeless sinners. Salvation is really about the transformation from a nonperson toward real personhood, from worthlessness to dignity, and that is what happens at the end of this story. A sinner is justified not by his prayer, but by grace from a merciful God. Jesus provides us this parable because he understands that his message was to humble those who exalt themselves and exalt those who humble themselves.
When Luke repeats this parable, it is not so much about prayer, Pharisees or Tax Collectors. It is one more reminder of the great reversal Luke repeats again and again in different ways. Some people who seem least likely to find a place in the Kingdom of God will be there before the pious and those who seem to be so good and successful. Once again, Jesus keeps us wondering.