Luke 18:9–14 - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 23, 2016)

Gospel:

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Gospel Trivia:

It should be noted that the Pharisee and tax collector described in the passage are extremes. Not all Pharisees were cocky and self-righteous, many of them followed the requirements of the Law and were good examples to others. 

Also, not all tax collectors were repentant. Many of them were extortionists, collecting money in behalf of the Roman empire and making fat commissions. So we should bear in mind that the ones described in the passage are not prototypes, but tendencies that were apparent among these groups at that time. 

We should note the following gospel trivia:

- The setting in the story is a public worship service in the temple. In the parable, this is likely the atonement ritual.  Many attend these services. 

- The Pharisees believe that one must strictly follow all the requirements of the Law in order to be righteous before God. The tax collector, on the other hand, violated several of these laws, and many of them extorted from their fellow Jews.  They were despised.  

- Given his situation, there was no way the tax collector could ever become righteous because the Law required returning the money that he has stolen (when he over-collected taxes), and there was no way he could possibly find all the people that he stole from. He was doomed. 

-  Note that the tax collector “stood off at a distance” and the Pharisee was likely away from the rest of the crowd as well because he was grateful he was not like “the rest of humanity.” 

This distance between the two characters provides a significant nuance in the story. They were very much apart from the crowd and from each other, and yet the Pharisee looked around and noticed the tax collector; enough for the former to compare himself with the latter. The Pharisee saw the tax collector and used him to further prop up himself. 

The message of this passage is more than just humility versus self-righteousness. Jesus also deplores the self-righteousness based on comparing one’s self with others. 


While we are generally conscious of our sinfulness before God, a genuine humble attitude requires we stand alone before God, and never beside someone else. When we say, “I know am not perfect, but at least I am not like him who has another woman,” or “I know I spend a lot on myself and I should think of others, but I don’t have as much jewelry as she does," are we not being like a Pharisee?

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul Publications, 1987), p. 286-292.

Luke 18:1-8 The Unjust Judge (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 16, 2016)

Gospel:

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 

For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” 

The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Gospel:

This gospel is not simply about being persistent in prayer.  Take note of the following:

- some parables of Jesus were addressed to the Pharisees or the general crowd; this one is addressed to the disciples, so it teaches the disciples something.

- Jesus told his disciples to "pray always without becoming weary"; it does not mean to pray throughout the day, but to pray in ALL circumstances, in good times and bad, especially in difficult times.

- this gospel was particularly meant for the disciples during their times of trials and difficulties, when their prayers were apparently not being answered.

- this is why this parable is told from the point of view of the judge -- his thoughts and motivations; he neither "feared God nor respected any human being", which is the worst description you can call a person.

- this despicable judge is the extreme contrast to God's love and mercy; yet he answered the widow's plea.

This gospel is not about the persistent widow, but the faithfulness of God. There will be times when God is apparently not answering our prayers; but in confident faith, we pray anyway.

Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul Publications, 1987), p. 275-278.

Luke 17:11-19 (28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 9, 2016)

Gospel:

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Gospel Trivia:

Note that Jesus did not cure the ten lepers on the spot and instead ordered them to go and show themselves to the priests. A leper does NOT go to the priests to be healed.  According to Jewish law, a leper who has been cured should go to a priest  who will attest the cure. (Note that the Samaritan is a non-Jew and therefore NOT part of the "chosen people.")

By ordering the lepers to comply with that law as if they had already been healed, Jesus required of them an act of obedience in faith. 

The ten proceeded to go as told and were all healed.  Of the ten, only one of them, a Samaritan, when he saw that he was cured, came back running to Jesus and praising God. The Samaritan leper knew that his cure came from God and was totally grateful.

In contrast, the other nine were Jews, who thought that their cure was deserved because of they are God's special chosen ones.

This gospel is more than about gratefulness.  It takes faith to recognize God’s action, to receive it, and render it back to Him.  The Samaritan's faith reflected his attitude that his cure is pure grace; that he is totally undeserving yet was cured out of God's love.

The nine lepers received healing thinking that it was due to them.


God's love is not something we earn and deserve, but even though we are undeserving, God still loves us.  This is the faith Jesus is talking about.

Reference: Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), p. 366-268.

Luke 17:5-10 (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 2, 2016)

Gospel:

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 

“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

Gospel Trivia:

Jesus describes true faith not in terms of quantity (which is what the apostles had in mind), but in terms of quality.  If one had the right kind of faith, then one can accomplish apparently impossible actions.  

Jesus gave the example of a servant who carried out the orders given by his master.  Upon completion of his task, the servant is expected to remain available for the next one.  The servant does not claim any special reward or gratitude since he is only doing what is expected of him.  

As a disciple, the way to increase faith is not to ask for rewards for one's service, but to see the service as already the reward.  If one has the kind of faith that Jesus is talking about, then no task would be impossible.

The gospel teaches two things:  

- Our service is not a favor; God does not owe us because we served.  

- Secondly, our faith enables us to carry out the orders received from God, and our humility recognizes that God is the power behind it all.  When we serve, it is NOT us using the power of God, but the power of God using us.

By the way, if you’re wondering just how small a mustard seed is, and how big a mustard tree is, then see the pictures below.  Also, the roots of the mustard tree is so great that the tree can resist 600 years of any weather!


Reference: A Kingdom For All by Nil Guillemette, SJ and Exploring God’s Word