3rd Week in Lent, Saturday – 13th March 2021 – Lk 18,9-14
Do not be Deluded
In the parable of the “Two approaches towards God”, there were two men with different occupations, who had approached God with different hearts, one with a self-righteous heart and the other was humble. The Pharisee was deluded about prayer, for he prayed with himself and told God how good he was. He took full credit for his model life. The Pharisees used prayer as a means to getting public recognition and not as a spiritual exercise to glorify God (Mt 6,5; 23,14). He was deluded about himself, for he thought he was accepted by God because of what he did or what he did not do. The Jews were required to fast only once a year, on the day of Atonement (Lev 16,29), but he fasted twice a week. He tithed everything that came into his possession, even the tiny herbs from his garden (Mt 23,23). Again the Pharisee was deluded about the publican as a great sinner. On the other hand, the publican knew where his greatest problem was and he called to God for mercy. It was his spirit of self-humiliation and repentance that was acceptable to God. The publican knew the enormity of his sins, but the Pharisee was blissfully ignorant of his own heart. The Pharisee’s pride condemned him, but the publican’s humble faith saved him (Lk 14,11; Isa 57,15). It is the prodigal son and elder brother over again (Lk 15,11ff.)
