“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…'” – Luke 18:11
The Pharisee in Sunday’s Gospel reading (Luke 18:9-14) “despised everyone else.” His pride caused him to exalt himself to Christ’s judgment seat, making himself the judge of what is righteous. Notice that he “spoke this prayer to himself.” He offered the prayer to himself and addressed himself as God: “O God…”. He did not offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving to God; he praised himself. Conversely, the tax collector knew his place before God. He humbly recognized his own faults and sins and asked for God’s mercy: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner” (v13).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 23:12
Almost all of us struggle with pride in some way. It is the result of the Fall of Man, the original grasping at pride, sometimes called the pusilla anima, or the “small soul.” The Pharisee was in the grasp of his own small soul. He was the center of his universe and prayer, not God. He was more concerned with tithing on his “whole income” than sharing his whole heart. He did what was required of the law, not loving and serving God from the heart. To put it bluntly, the Pharisee judged himself to be better than everyone else: “I thank God that I am not like the rest of humanity” (v 11). I imagine that he saw, judged, and commented on the faults of others frequently but failed to see his own (see Matthew 7:3-5).
We can ask ourselves when we have placed ourselves in God’s role, closing our world in on ourselves rather than allowing God to be the Lord of our lives (1 Peter 3:15). When we place God in His rightful place, we automatically inhabit our rightful place: as His beloved children who trust in His mercy, like the tax collector. In our smallness, God will exalt us (Matthew 23:12).
Lord, I am sorry for the times when I have been prideful and judged others. Yet even this is an opportunity for me to call out to You for mercy and grace! I praise You for your goodness and mercy!