Luke 18 9-14 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Jesus several times, describes behavior that is life giving and encourages the coming of the kingdom and behavior that is not. If there is one group that Jesus uses many times, as an example of how not to act, it is the Pharisees. They were a segment of the Jewish faith community, a group of lay people, whose religious practice involved strict adherence to a very extensive set of codes roughly based on the Law of Moses. Their practices amounted to what we understand as holding to the letter of the law with a disregard to the spirit of the law. That is, doing the right things for not necessarily the right reasons, the right reasons being charity and love for God and neighbor.
Here we have an example of one of the Pharisees praying in an acceptable manner, by their standards. He is, in a self-richous way, giving a laundry list of reasons he deserves good things from God, not like this life tax collector and others. He basically say’s I have not done any of these bad things and have done all this good stuff. So God, you and the world are lucky to have me around and owe me! This regimented, narrow and flawed view of God and his relationship to him is a stark contrast to Jesus’ teaching of humbling approaching God and serving each other.
The Pharisee is compared to a tax collector (whose public distain for hasn’t changed in 2000 years). Well actually, maybe it has gotten a little better. During Jesus time tax collectors were stooges for the occupying Romans. They were given a certain amount of taxes to collect and anything collected over this amount was their wages.
They were notorious for using any tactics necessary to make their collections. And adding to this humiliation, the government (the Romans) didn’t seem to care what these were, just come up with your quota. A person can see why they were really hated.
We too don’t like to pay taxes when the funds go for goods or services we don’t approve of. But just imagine if we had these extortionists, which were backed up by the mightiest army on earth, collecting them. We certainly wouldn’t invite them in for dinner, send them a Christmas card or have anything at all to do with them.
Here we have someone (Jesus) telling those that think they are the good guys (the Pharisees). That actually the despised tax collectors have it right and they don’t. I bet you could see steam rise out of their collars. The big difference here is the recognition of truth. The Pharisees believing their acts are sufficient and love and compassion for their neighbor is of no consequence.
Where the tax collector knows he has done wrong and humble asks for the grace of forgiveness and support to amend his ways.
What is the message this story has for us? We all have at least a small part of some facet, of each character in the parable, the Pharisee and/or the tax collector. Maybe we don’t stand in front of the altar and let God know all the good things we’ve done. And ask him when he is going to keep up his end of the deal. Or extort money in addition to other favors from our neighbors. But we can at times can think; I’m at church, at least most Sundays, give to the support of the church and sometime even at little extra. I make sure my kids are confirmed.
But the question Jesus asks is “where is your heart”?
Is the practice of my religion coming out of love, and understanding of the Lord and His creation? Or is a set of actions that we feel if we kind of complete each week that’s good enough. Jesus tells us there is something to learn from both the Pharisee and tax collector. We need more then good works we also need the right relationship with God and neighbor.
The tax collector gives use two things of value for us to cultivate proper humility and relationship. First we have his example, and secondly we have a special prayer that has been handed down to us based on the tax collectors prayer in this Gospel reading. It is call the Jesus Prayer and it goes like this, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
The use of the Jesus Prayer brings with it the humble realization of our dependence on God. We need this mindset in order to open ourselves to God’s graces that the practice of our religion will provide as we are confronted with the different challenges of life.
You are invited to take this little simple but powerful prayer with you and use it to come to the Lord seeking his grace and guidance. It is another one of the tools you can use to find an authentic life giving relationship with the Lord and one another. For humility in the face of our all-holy merciful God brings happiness.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”