HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK OF LENT.
THEME: ACCEPTABLE PRAYER.
BY: FR GERALD M. MUSA.
“Prayer is the humility of the man who acknowledges his profound wretchedness and the greatness of God,” says St. Josemaria. Jesus drew his listeners’ attention to the importance of humble prayer in the parable of two people who went out to the temple area to pray. 0ne was a Pharisee and the other a Tax Collector. The Pharisee was usually an expert of the law and one who has a tendency to pose as a self-righteous person.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF ST. PATRICK.
The Tax Collector was someone despised by people asa public sinner. Expectedly, during prayers the Pharisee took a prominent position in the temple and began to pray at the top of his voice exalting himself and humiliating other people who were not like him. The Tax Collector prayed differently. He stood at a distance and felt unworthy even to raise his eyes to heaven, he prayed in these words: 0 God, be merciful to me a sinner. Jesus concluded the parable by saying, God accepted the humble prayer of the Tax Collector, but not the arrogant prayer of the Pharisee” (cf.
Luke 18:9-14).
The main faults of the pharisee were: praying with a sense of superiority, comparing himself With others, and despising others. His prayer lacked one basic ingredient which is contrition (asking God for mercy). D0 we pray with an air of arrogance like the Pharisee or do we pray with a humble spirit and a contrite heart like the tax collector?
HoSEA 6:1-6; LUKE 18:9-14;
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