Who between this couple is justified in their action: a man who habitually cheats on his wife because she is isn’t creative on bed, makes her sad the way he talks to her and whenever he desires conjugal love takes it by force but goes for confession weekly to be reconciled with God; and the woman who habitually goes to church, always angry because she feels unloved but always working out plans to retaliate by cheating as well, but is yet to be successful in her attempts?
Today the Lord presents us a parable that will help evaluate our lives. Only by carefully reading can we see ourselves clearly and answer the questions correctly. If you’re interested read slowly…
Luke 18:9-14
Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
POINTS FOR REFLECTIONS
1. Jesus says two persons went to pray: “a sinner” and “a righteous man”. The former prayed to God while the latter prayed to himself. Are you surprised that one could be praying to himself or herself thinking they have truly prayed while feeling the satisfaction of fervent prayer? Hmmm. Think about this for a while.
At the confessional a woman told me how devoted and committed she is in church, and as well confessed some sins giving reasons for every wrong she committed saying if her husband or neighbour have not done this or that she wouldn’t have acted the way she did, and then she ended with a question: Father, have I acted wrongly? Have I not been trying? If you were in my shoes what would be your response?
2. Have you heard about the spiritual ailment called the ELDER BROTHER SYNDROME? If you have not click to read up? Do you know many Christians today are suffering from that disease?
Who is justified among these: a man that fasts and prays always, takes his spiritual life seriously but his neighbour is hungry and he doesn’t care; and another man who neither pray, eats always, does not take his spiritual life seriously but always gives to the poor and never allows the hungry go unfed?
TASK: Try to ponder on these questions and answer them bearing in mind what the Lord says in Hosea 5, 6:
…What I want is Love (Mercy), not sacrifice;knowledge of God, not holocausts.
Count yourself fortunate to see this message and to hear directly from the Lord. Our justification shall be based on two grounds: Love (Mercy) and knowledge of God. The two must go together because our Loving and Merciful God who is personified as Love (1 John 4: 7-8) is also described as Logos-knowledge (John 1:1-2). God bless you.
