Lord Have Mercy

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’
- Luke 18:9-14

The first thing that strikes me about this passage is the notion that God has made the Pharisee a good person, and that somehow God has left others bad. Why else thank God for the fact that you're avoiding the pitfalls of bad behavior, and doing many good things? On the other hand, I suppose it makes sense to me to thank God that I have not had the hardships others have faced, and that He's given me the grace to choose well in times when I easily could have gone the other way. But of course, the main way we read this passage is to understand the lack of humility in the Pharisee, and its inverse reflection in the Publican.

Jesus says that "all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." I usually think of this as the humility to be honest with God, and not a hypocrite, to admit my downfalls, my limitations and that there are just things I don't know and can't judge of myself. But there's another edge to exalting oneself here, and that's the Pharisee's lack of compassion for the Publican. We can be grateful for the blessings we have in life, but that does not mean we exalt ourselves over those who lack them. This is yet another mystery to me, that we are all equal before God. Regardless of what we have done or achieved, we stand on even ground.

In another sense we are to read this passage as telling us that we all must be vigilant, to keep watch over ourselves with honesty, and to accept that it is not ours to glorify ourselves, but always to go forward and see where God leads us. What's the next thing I need to face and to deal with? What is there that I have left undone that God wants me to examine? What are the things I still don't know, regardless of what I have learned? Even the best and most perfect among us can pray that prayer.

The Jesus Prayer is a practice that I use, and it's partly taken from this passage of the Publican and the Pharisee. The Publican asks for reconciliation with God, the way a child will approach a parent or a transgressor may approach a judge to right his wrong. In other passages, Jesus is asked for healing by the words "Lord have mercy." The prayer can take many forms, but its most basic form is simply, "Lord have mercy." This prayer echoes down the centuries as the most humble and most exalted and probably the most well-used all over the world. Let us not forget that mercy is rooted in the Greek eleos as much more than forgiveness of sins. Its root is close to that of the word for olive oil, out of which was made the balm for all ailments in the ancient world. When we pray, "Lord have mercy" for ourselves and others, let us remember that we pray for healing, for whatever ails.