November 27, 2022; 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Mt. 24:37-44

 

Advent is a Season of Hope

1.    In a world dominated by fear, sorrow, diseases, viruses, sickness, poverty, wars, and violence, Christians are urged to be hopeful. They must shine the light of joy and happiness, and so restore peace to the broken world. Indeed, they must be light to the world and salt to the earth. (Matt. 5:13). This is what Advent is all about. It is a time of great expectation, whereby Christians wait for the Messiah. He will teach us, by his life that God is greater than our collective sadness and despair. As the Jews waited in hope so we wait!  

 

2.    This was Isaiah’s vision in the first reading. “In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it. He shall judge between the nations and impose terms on many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (Is. 2:1-5). Isaiah predicts that a day shall come when humanity shall live together and walk together in faith, righteousness, and brotherhood. We pray for the realization of this vision with optimism! If we do not desire peace, we will be condemned to the dreadful prospect of wars succeeding wars until the human race destroys itself. Then the words of John F. Kennedy will become a reality, “Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” It is sad to note that the instrument of war has far outpaced the instrument of peace, and so if mankind doesn’t pursue peace and peaceful cohabitation with her neighbors, the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science, can engulf humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction. Therefore, Isaiah’s vision is urgent. It urges us to create an environment of peace and hope for humanity.

 

3.    St Paul, in the second reading, cautions against waiting till it is too late to live a life of grace. “You know the time; it is the hour now for you to wake from sleep.” When we sleep, we forget that we have work to do and places to go. It is when we let our guard down, that we can be surprised by events or calamities. Paul exhorts us to “Conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” The flesh, according to Paul, is our unredeemed self that is always at war with our spiritual self. It is the part of us that is separated from God. It is the rebellious, unruly, proud part of our inner self that is always unwilling to obey the law of love. It doesn’t want to be told what to do. It is stubborn, refuses correction, and wants to be left alone. It wants to be the center of the universe always and sees itself as the standard of measurement for everyone to follow. The flesh hates to be under the authority or to have to yield to anything other than its own desires. The flesh desires something simply because it is forbidden. If Advent must be meaningful and anticipate the birth of Christ, the flesh must be redeemed and submit to the will of God.

 

4.    The Gospel exhorts us to stay awake for we do not know when the Son of Man will come. The vision of Isaiah and the exhortation to be alert make the preparation for the birth of Christ fruitful. During Advent, we do not only wait for the coming of Christ at his birth, but also for his second coming at the end of time. While we wait, we must be engaged in acts of penitence and good deeds. We must purge ourselves of sins by going to confession. Christ must be welcomed into a clean house. Our heart is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is there that God dwells. We must get rid of malicious thoughts and deeds. Grudges, anger, resentment, and revenge must have no room in our hearts. We must be engaged in acts of kindness and compassion and be committed to a healthy prayer life while being available to assist others in need. 

 

5.    As we pray and wait, I suggest we do so with our bible. Please read the 16 chapters of the Letter to the Romans. Then continue with the 6 chapters of the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians. Conclude the last week with the 4 chapters of the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. Altogether, that will give us 26 days of journeying with St Paul to the Advent season. May God give us the grace to keep our Advent faithfully. Amen!

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

November 20, 2022; Solemnity of Christ the King. 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1 -3; Colossians 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43

 

The Leadership Qualities of a Great King

1.    Today is the last Sunday of the year. Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of Year (A). At this Mass, we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 when depression, secularism, and atheism were on the rise. Most people had turned away from God and were concerned with the world and self. The Pope asserted that the most effective defense against the destructive forces of the age was the recognition of the kingship of Christ.  

 

2.    In the first reading, we read how David, a brilliant and far-sighted military and political leader, became the king of both the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel. David was a king after God’s heart (1 Sam. 13:14). God had promised David through Nathan, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm for forever.” (2Samuel 7:16). The Psalmist rejoices over the election of David: “I have chosen David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him.”(Psalm 89:21). Jesus is a descendant of David, and so, He is the promised king whose kingdom will have no end.

 

3.    The second reading seems to draw strength from the first reading. St. Paul made it clear that the whole universe belongs to Christ. The world was created for him. “For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.” (Col. 1:16). The kingship of Christ is unquestionable. “He is the head of the body, the Church, He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.” (Col. 1:18-20). Since the whole world belongs to Christ as the sovereign Lord, how did Christ rule his world as a king? What was his leadership style, and how can we partake in his kingdom? This is how the Preface of this Mass addresses this concern: “As king, he claims dominion over all creation that he may present to You, his almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.”

 

4.    Christ gave us the rule of his kingdom in the sermon on Mount. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matt. 5:1-12). His mission brought a holistic change to humankind. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim, a year acceptable to the Lord.” (Luke 4:18). 

 

5.    The kings and presidents of this world are protected by the FBI, SSS, bodyguards, soldiers, guns, tanks, and military might. But Jesus had none of those. He did not need them. Christ surrendered himself with twelve unlettered men, who ran away at the slightest provocation. He is the suffering servant of God. “My chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations. Not crying out not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench until he establishes justice on the earth.” (Is. 42:1-4). He rules the world in peace. He is humble, merciful, forgiving, compassionate, and just. His mission is to look for the least, the lost, and the last. He is the shepherd who left the 99 sheep and went to look for the lost one. “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Lk. 19:10). 

 

6.    With Christ as our king, there would be love for everyone. There would be peace in the world. We would be people of prayer, and children would respect their elders. There would be mutual respect for everyone. “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (Is. 21:4). We would do away with guns. There will be no police brutality, and corruption will not be mentioned in public. There will be public trust in our social contracts. Corruption and lies in government would be a thing of the past. We would respect our environment and not jeopardize the world by depleting the ozone layers. We would eat healthy meals and be afraid to poison our bodies with opioids or other substances. There would be perfect harmony between human beings and nature, and none would harm the other because the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. (Is. 11:1-9). 

 

7.    Christ’s wish for us in the new year is to emulate him. He shows how to live; so that we may live in peace. While dying on the cross, He forgave the repentant thief and promised him everlasting life. “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” He prayed for those who killed him on the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34). Christ is our king. On the Cross, He gives us everything without counting the cost. May we be open to receiving his gifts of pardon, mercy, and forgiveness. May Christ the universal king welcome us to his kingdom with these reassuring words: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Amen.  

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

November 13, 2022; 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time; Year (C) November 13, 2022

Readings: Malachi 3:19 -20; 2 Thess. 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19

 

Why Are You Afraid of Dying?

1.    It is reasonable to say that those who are afraid of dying never lived well or to the fullest. This would mean that we have not been able to do all that we planned to do or accomplish all that God intended for us to achieve before our demise. The Bible warns, “But the just man, though he die early, shall be at rest. For the honorable age comes not with the passing of time, nor can it be measured in terms of years. Rather, understanding is the hoary crown for men, and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age.” (Wisdom 4:7-9). It doesn’t matter when we die, but that we lived well and left a legacy for others. Our life must give meaning to others. Hence St. Paul reminds us, “None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord.”(Rom. 14:7-8) The question then is, “Why are we afraid of dying?” What would you do if you were told you would die today? I am sure you would do everything you can to stop yourself from dying. But why would you postpone doing good till the end? Today’s readings address the end time and the four last things: Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell. The first reading states: “Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:19). In the Gospel, Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which took 46 years to complete: “All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” The temple was indeed destroyed seven years after the prediction. 

 

2.    We are often mesmerized by monumental and imposing structures of churches, basilicas, temples, cathedrals, and buildings of worship in this and other countries of the world. I often wonder whether those structures reflect the builders’ intention – raise people’s minds and hearts to God and make them reflect on the divine and heavenly realities. Did the temple Christ lament over raise people’s minds to God? Probably not. “Then Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’” (Lk. 19:45-46). The temple did not represent what it was meant for, a house of prayer, a place to communicate with God and be at home with him and his sons and daughters. They had turned it into exclusive use for their selfish purpose. They had basically driven God out of his house. God’s house had become a market square. There were many cases of abuse in that temple, even as it looked beautiful and well-adorned both in and out. The time had come for them to pay the price for their recklessness. Punishment and destruction await those who do not make use of the opportunity God has given them to do what is right. The day will come, blazing like a furnace, to consume those who are hellbent on doing evil. What about us? Do we always conduct ourselves with decorum in the sacred place designated for the worship of God? We may be proud of our beautiful Church, but does it reflect the glory of God? Do we worship God in spirit and in truth? Do we lack forgiveness, compassion, and mercy within the house of God? Do we welcome all who come to worship God, regardless of status, clout, race, or appearance? Is this why our Church is empty? What have we done wrong? What must we do differently? Should we fold our arms, walk away from our Church, and allow it to be closed? What is Christ saying to us about our Church and its future?

 

3.    Maybe we have erected some structures for ourselves that make it difficult to surrender to God. Academic achievements make us look down on others; our jobs have become our God, so we have no time for God and Church. Our social status could make it a challenge to be open to others. Pride can prevent us from seeing God and others. It may have taken us years to accumulate wealth, build our empire, construct our temple, and attend to our social status. Still, if we do not see Christ in them, Christ will say, “All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” When our temples and achievements become so superimposing that people can no longer see God except in and through them, those structures must be destroyed. Our Christian teaching and faith demand that we recognize the presence of God in one another as well as in the temple where God is worshipped. This is the true religion, worshipping God in spirit and in truth.

 

4.    The readings remind us that our time on earth is short. Christ will come one day soon; therefore, we must be prepared. This knowledge doesn’t mean that Christ is coming today or tomorrow. It could be any day! Therefore, Christ warned, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’  Please do not follow them! Do not be terrified when you hear of wars and insurrections, for such things must happen first, but they will not immediately be the end.” (Lk. 21:8-9). We should, therefore, live our normal lives and be engaged in sporadic acts of kindness. Pray at all times and be committed to your faith. Do not be overanxious about the end; live as if the end is now. Do not be afraid! The day we die is the end of the world for us and the beginning of a new life with God. May God bless us now and always. Amen

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

November 06, 2022; 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 7, 9-14; 2 Thes.2:16 – 3:5; Lk 20:27-38

 

 

Death Is a Change of Life

1.    In the Preface for Christian death, we pray: “Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” Death is a change of life. It is the pathway that brings us to our final destination with God. Our faith is founded on the resurrection of Christ. His resurrection guarantees that those who died in Christ will be raised on the last day. St. Paul tells us: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless, and your believing it is useless. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate people.” (1 Cor.15:14-19). Many Christians suffered martyrdom in this world because they hoped to live forever with God. Christians see their death as a transition to a life of grace with their creator. 

 

2.    People believed in the resurrection from the dead long before Christ. The hope of the resurrection is portrayed in the first reading from the Book of Maccabees. During the reign of the Greek king Antiochus IV, a law was promulgated that made it a crime, punishable by death, for the Jews to practice their religion. Circumcision was forbidden, and copies of the law were burned. They were prevented from following their dietary laws and were not allowed to celebrate their feasts. They were mandated to worship and offer sacrifices to the Greek gods and goddesses. This brought great distress and persecution to the Jews. Many derailed and offered sacrifices to the pagan gods; they stopped circumcising their sons and ate pork, which was forbidden by law. Those who disobeyed the king and held on to their faith were put to death.  

 

3.    The book of Maccabees documents those terrible times and the struggle the Jews went through to remain faithful to God in the face of egregious persecution and distress. In the first reading, we heard of the torture of a heroic woman and her seven sons. They held on to God and refused to obey the king. Their hope was in the resurrection of the righteous. Listen to what they said to their persecutors: “We are prepared to die rather than break the laws of our ancestors.” (2 Macc.7:2). “You may discharge us from this present life, but the king of the world will raise us up since it is for his laws that we die to live again forever.” “It was heaven that gave me these limbs; for the sake of his laws, I disdain them; I hope to receive them from him again.” The mother encouraged her dying sons to be courageous in the face of death in these words; “Prove yourself of your brothers, and make death welcome, so that in the day of mercy I may receive you back in your brothers’ company.” The woman and her sons preferred death to a life of shame. St. Paul reminded us, “And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.” (Rom. 8:11). 

 

4.    In the Gospel, the Sadducees questioned Jesus on the resurrection. This was a group of a rich religious set, like the Pharisees. But unlike the Pharisees, they did not believe in the resurrection from the dead, angels, or spirits. They confronted Jesus with a levirate law argument that states that if a man dies childless, his brother must marry the widow and raise children for the brother (Deut. 25:5). With this law, they demonstrated how ridiculous the concept of the resurrection was. Since seven brothers married a woman and died childless and the woman also died, at the resurrection, who will her husband be? Jesus explained to them that the life of the resurrection would not be the same as life on earth. We will be like angels. There will be no need for procreation. Jesus reminded them of what God said to Moses at the burning bush, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God Jacob.” (Exodus 3:1-6). God is God of the living and not the dead. Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were dead, they are alive with God.

 

5.    Christ stressed, in His answer to the Sadducees, that marriage and procreation are only for this life and not in the life of heaven. Whether married or single, our devotion to God and our service to one another matter. St. Paul prays in today’s second reading, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.” We are men and women of the resurrection: our homeland is heaven, where God our Father dwells. Since heaven is our final home, and we can only get there after our life on earth, let us do what St. Paul says. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4). May our departed brothers and sisters find peace with God in heaven.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

October 30, 2022; 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: Wisdom 11:22 – 12:2; 2 Thes.1:11 – 2:2; Lk 19:1-10

 

God Loves Us and Forgives Us Even When We Sin

 

1.    God loves us. He created us out of love. The book of wisdom reminds us of this fact: “But you have mercy on all because you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.” Nothing created by God is loathsome before him. When we sin, God rebukes, “Offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!”

 

2.    In Luke 18:9-14, we read of two men who went to the temple to pray. We reflected on the Pharisee as he prayed to himself. He had no need of God. On the other hand, the tax collector found mercy and was justified. His humility showed his need for God. Today we are presented with another tax collector – Zacchaeus. He was a Jew, a son of Abraham, and a member of God’s chosen people. Despite his status, his profession as a tax collector brought him indignity and notoriety. It reduced him to a public sinner and the enemy of the people. He was wealthy but without recognition and respect. He was despised and ridiculed. His being small in stature was more than a physical appearance. He was nobody. He had a lot of money but no salvation.

 

3.    Zacchaeus would have heard about Jesus and how he cared for the poor, the rejected, the nobodies, the despised, the tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. On hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus was anxious to meet Him. But then there was his height and the crowd. Zacchaeus was a short man. The crowd could represent so many things. It could be the barriers that could prevent him from pursuing his goal. It could be fear of the people. Or fear of rejection and his height. Oh, the fault-finding crowd, the finger-pointing crowd, the unforgiving crowd, the self-righteous crowd. People in the crowd wanted to take revenge on him and felt he had betrayed their race by working for the Romans. Others felt that Zacchaeus’s riches deprived them of their wealth. This was an intimidating crowd indeed! But Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus. So, he climbed a tree, away from the crowd, to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

 

4.    By climbing the tree, Zacchaeus changed the battleground. He sought a greater power from above and appealed for God’s mercy. Take your fight into the spiritual realm by praying, and God will take over your battles and fight for you. Don’t fight the enemy in his comfort zone; change the battleground and let God take charge. You’ll be assured of clean victory. Zacchaeus took his fight up the sycamore tree. He changed the battlefield, and the Lord Jesus found him up there and made him an offer he could not refuse. “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house. Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.” (Lk. 19:5-9). 

 

5.    One can only imagine the joy of this sinner who found favor with the Lord. Zacchaeus may have been one of the reasons Christ passed through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. He had unfinished business there, to seek and find he who was lost. Christ is always searching for the sick, the sinner, and the lonely; to restore them to their appropriate state in life and give them the grace they desperately need. He knows our weaknesses, He understands our faults, He sees our hearts, and he knows those who seek Him with a sincere heart. He thirsts for our love and calls us to a new life. Today Salvation has come to this house. There is joy in Heaven over a sinner who repents than the ninety-nine who do not need repentance. (Lk. 15:7). 

 

6.    Despite the grumbling of the crowd that Christ dared to enter the house of a sinner, Zacchaeus renounces his possessions: “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I shall repay it four times over.” Regardless of what the crowd thought of him, he made restitution and promised to pay back those who felt cheated or defrauded. He needed Christ more than wealth, so he would give it away to have Christ. By his action, Zacchaeus reechoed the words of St. Paul, “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8). He showed his gratitude to Christ by accepting to live like Christ. 

 

7.    Christ calls on us to repent of our sins and embrace His life of grace. We may be confronted by the crowd, but Zacchaeus has shown us the way. Take your fight away from the crowd, change the battleground and allow Christ to find you. Accept His invitation, welcome Him to your house, and let Him eat with you. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20). “And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me” (Jn. 6:39).

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

October 23, 2022; 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Lk 18:9-14

 

He Who Looks Up to God Looks Down on No One

1.      “Pride goes before the fall” is a saying that means if one is too arrogant or self-important, something will happen to make one look foolish. This captures the attitude of the Pharisee, one of the two men who went to pray in the temple in today’s Gospel. Pharisees were members of a party that believed in the resurrection. They followed legal traditions ascribed not to the Bible but to “the traditions of the fathers.” They were laypeople who tried to keep God’s law as perfectly and scrupulously as possible. They went above and beyond the law in the performance of their spiritual practice. Hence, they looked down upon anyone who failed to live up to their standards.

 

2.      The prayer in the Gospel is typical of a pharisaic prayer. “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – even like this tax collector.” (Lk. 18:11). Rabbi Simeon ben Jocai once said, “If there are only two righteous men in the world, my son and I are these two; if there is only one, I am he!” So being puritanical and scrupulous, the Pharisee may have done all that he said he did. He may not have cheated anyone and was not adulterous. He fasted, prayed many times a day, paid tithes on all he had, and more, but he said the prayers of himself and to himself, not God. He was not humble but conceited. He was like a peacock who flashed his beautiful colored tail feathers for everyone to see how handsome he was. He was ostentatious, boastful, proud, and selfish. He called attention to himself! His was not prayer, but a list of accomplishments, expecting God to praise him. He gave his advertisement for his glorious achievements and expected to be congratulated and rewarded. He demonstrated that he had no need for God. In fact, he felt God needed him more than he needed God to show the world what true holiness looks like. True prayer should be directed to God and God alone. God does not require a record of our good works. He knows them all. Instead, He needs us to have a contrite heart that is forgiving, caring, loving, compassionate, and merciful. Not condescending, boastful, arrogant, and spiteful. Such a heart is loathsome to God. That is why the Pharisee was not justified before God.  

  

3.      The proud place themselves at a distance from others, and seen through that distance, others perhaps appear little to them, even contemptible, as the tax collector appeared to the Pharisee. “I thank God that I am not like…this tax collector.” How morally contemptuous his words are! Moral contempt is far greater indignity and insult than any crime. We can feel good about our gifts, but genuine self-esteem is ruined by arrogant self-righteousness that judges others. “The prayer of the humble pierces the cloud and does not rest till it reaches its goal.” (Sir. 35:17).  

 

4.      This brings us to the tax collector and his prayer. Tax collectors, though Jews, were public employees of the Romans. They collected taxes and sent them to Rome, but they had to pay themselves by collecting more than stipulated. They made quite a decent living for themselves but also gained a bad reputation. They were despised, hated, and considered public sinners. The tax collector knew who he was and was aware that God knew him too. Since he had no friends, he depended on God for everything, so with a heavy heart, he went in to pray. The poor man could not raise his eyes to God, unworthy as he was. He knew that he who looked up to God would receive mercy and forgiveness. He cannot afford to look down on or judge anyone. He beat his breast and prayed for mercy. He saw himself as ‘the sinner.’ It was that heartbroken, self-despising prayer that won him acceptance before God. He was at peace with God because of his humility. For no proud man can pray to God.

 

5.      Today’s liturgy warns us against comparing ourselves to human beings. Anyone who compares himself to God recognizes his sins, weakness, shortcomings, and limitations. He knows that he needs God’s mercy, so he is humble. We should always compare ourselves to God. Our yearning should always be how to please God, not human beings. All we are and have, are pure grace and free gifts from God. Therefore, we must look down on no one, but with the strength, we have been given by God, we should work hard to lift people up. Our unredeemed self tends to be selfish and self-centered. But our redeemed self is Christ-centered and people-centered. The people we consider contemptible are equally loved by God. The beggar in the street, the homeless, the poor, and immigrants deserve our love and respect.  If we place our life side by side with Christ, we discover that we are not as holy as we think. Hence, we must see ourselves as God sees us, sinners, who need forgiveness and mercy. We will then see ourselves as the tax collector at prayer, and we will soon join him to say: “Lord be merciful to me, the sinner.” Our redemption begins in knowing that we are not better than anyone. We are who we are simply by the grace of God. May God be merciful to us, sinners. Amen!

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP