A Reflection for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C).
Ecclesiasticus 35:15-17,20-22 – 2Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 – Luke 18:9-14.
Last Sunday, the word of God emphasised the need to pray unceasingly. There is a song we sing back in Nigeria during the Children’s liturgy. It goes thus: “prayer is the key; prayer is the master key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. Prayer is the master key.” Jesus reminds us today that some prayers open the wrong door of displeasure before God due to a bad attitude. When we approach God with the wrong disposition, no matter how long or unceasing the prayer is, it will not be able to penetrate the heavens; it will have no efficacy. Our efforts at prayer become like that of a runner who runs well but outside the track. What a loss and wasted effort that will be! So, what should be our disposition when we are communicating with God?
Today’s readings show us that God hears the prayer of the lowly and humble heart. Jesus told his disciples a parable about two people who went to pray – a Pharisee and a Tax collector. During the prayer, the pharisee was boastful. The Pharisee considered himself holy and righteous; hence he could come close to the sanctuary before praying. While he walked to the altar, he was sizing himself up against the tax collector, who was at some distance, perhaps towards the back of the temple. The act of praying is raising our minds and hearts to God. But, the Pharisee was so full of himself that he couldn’t go beyond himself. So in Jesus’ words, he prayed to himself. His prayer was an expression of his self-righteousness, pride, and condemnation of another person.
On the other hand, the Tax collector acknowledged his sinfulness and unworthiness before God. His prayer was for God’s mercy on him. He could not dare to look to heaven because he felt he was a (persona-non-grata) nobody before God and without the right to converse with Him. The only words that came from his mouth were in supplication for mercy. Jesus’ response made it clear that the tax collector went home at right with God, unlike the pharisee.
When one approaches God with pride, they find it impossible to identify their sins and weaknesses in any circumstance. They always see faults in others which inversely affects their attitude to prayer or Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In the mind of a proud person, they are perfect and the best and cannot be improved or corrected; hence, they know everything more than others, who God is and what God wants. Even their thanksgiving to God is an extension of their self-glorification. Prayer of the proud is displeasing to God; it brings condemnation rather than justification before God.
Here are questions for you to meditate on: Do you live in pride, always thinking of yourself as better than others, holier, or more knowledgable and experienced that you begin to think low of another person? Jesus tells us this can affect our righteousness before God, especially in the context of prayer.
Today’s message is that we all stand unworthy before God and should approach Him in humility and lowliness. In this disposition, we can express our need of God, who is always attentive to the cry of the poor and lowly. A prayer in pride is a mockery of God and a rejection of Him. Last Sunday, we mentioned God as the Supreme Judge who gives justice to those who call on him and grant their desires. Today’s first reading further reminds us that He sits in judgement to dispense justice for the weak, the orphan, the widow, the poor, and the lowly. All these people are summarised as the humble, whose prayer pierces the clouds and is quickly answered by God.
When we are humble, God sees us and answers our prayers. He will stand by us even when everybody, everything, and circumstance is against us (2R). He will never abandon us as long as we approach him with humility, love, and trust. Our humble prayer is the best argument we present before God, the supreme and just judge, who gives the final judgement for the petition. His ruling for the humble will undoubtedly be for their salvation. Remember that God’s reward of the humble goes beyond this world to eternity in heaven.
I urge you now and always to humble yourselves before God, the almighty and Supreme one, as you make your prayers known to Him. God bless you.