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Saturday, Third Week of Lent B (March 13 /2021)
Your Daily Blessing: May the Lord grant you a humble and contrite spirit. Amen.
Read Hosea 5:15-6:6; Luke 18:9-14; pray Psalm 51[50].
The real temptation for most of us is to think we are the humble tax collector! Who wouldn’t want to feel commended for all the efforts we make to be good and kind people! But that is where the problem is.
Self-righteousness is the sin of good and kind people! The Pharisees are people who keep the laws in its details. They try hard to live above reproach. They pay tax and tithe on everything; fast regularly, pray constantly, and not unfaithful to their wives! So you heard him right: “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous, like the rest of mankind!” Did you notice that he is even ‘thankful’ for God’s grace on him! So what is wrong with that?
It is a sin of ATTITUDE! Because he sees himself living according to God’s commandments, he thinks himself ‘better’ than, or ‘superior’ to other less endowed people! Even though he pretends to thank God, he is actually ‘boasting’ by his body language, telling God: ‘see what I have done? You OWE ME a debt of commendation! This is why people with this mindset are very harsh in their criticism of others’ failures.
They look down on people, intolerant, impatient with faults, condemnatory, accusatory, difficult to please, and therefore may exhibit an obnoxious and odious personality. Is it then surprising that heaven and earth are displeased with such persons?
Please do a deep self-reflection before you conclude its someone else! You may google “a good catholic examination of conscience” (by beginningCatholic.com). There are even more advanced ones online! It will sober you.
PRAYER: Loving Jesus, after a deep examination of conscience, I feel ashamed to have considered myself ‘better’ than anyone. Please grant me the grace of humility to know it is your grace alone that works all the good I see in me!
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