30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

I suppose nearly every one of us finds it difficult to deal with one personality trait or another. So, I’ll confess, one of the things I struggle with is people who either can’t admit or perhaps honestly can’t see that they’re ever wrong. In conflicts, they almost inevitably see only the other person as the source of the problem—seemingly no self-awareness or self-evaluation. Having said that, I’ve been made aware from time to time, of my own blind spots in relationships.

It’s not hard to see where Jesus is leading us in this parable today. While I don’t believe he would not have had any problem with the Pharisee’s outward piety, and at the same time, he would not have endorsed the tax collector’s professional life, as an agent of the Roman government, extorting his fellow countrymen—ultimately, it was the tax collector’s humility that Jesus is drawing us to, in this parable. I remind us that humility is state of seeing one’s self as God sees him/her. It’s honest and real: seeing ourselves for our admirable qualities and virtue, as well as our weaknesses and failures. Jesus is the very picture of humility—the Son of God, who declared, “I cannot do anything on my own” (Jn 5:30)—and throughout the Gospels, he lauds those who are humble. Even for a sinner like the tax collector, his humility is a good sign, a first step toward conversion. As Jesus says today, “The one who humbles himself will be exalted”.

In 1923 a child was born in Newcastle, England, who later in life became a Benedictine monk. then an abbot and later the Bishop of Westminster. His name was Basil Hume. Finally, Pope Paul VI called him to the rank of cardinal. He was widely held in high regard for his down to earth nature and warmth to virtually whoever was before him. A friend of his recalled a conversation they once had, when Cardinal Hume said, “If only I could start all over again, I would be a much better monk, a much better abbot, a much better bishop. But then I though how much better if I can come before God when I die—not to say thank you, that I was such a good monk, a good abbot, a good bishop, but rather, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ For if I come empty-handed, then I will be ready to receive God’s gift”. Not long after that conversation, Cardinal Hume died and as it turns out, the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector was read at his funeral Mass in 1999.i

I remind us that we’re gathered here in this place, not because we’re the ones in society who have our act together. We’re here precisely because some part of us knows that we don’t. In this Mass, as we bear in mind, God’s powerful, yet tender love for us, let us in humility, implore Him for strengthening grace, and acknowledge our need for His mercy.

Today’s parable tells us that we will be humbled, sooner or later; on this side of death or beyond it. Jesus himself said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

i Fr. Joe Robinson, Guiding Light: Centered in Christ, Cycle C.