I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read that the chief priests led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning.  But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.  Pilate then went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"  They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evil-doer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."  Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law."  Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.  Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?"  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me.  What have You done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?"  Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"  And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all."

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  My study Bible explains that the Pharisee is highly respected and a careful observer of the details of the Law, whereas the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, and is seen as betraying and cheating his own people.  

 

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "  The practices of this Pharisee are laudable.  My study Bible calls them worthy examples to follow.  These good deeds named here (fasting and giving tithes) are primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without the participation of the heart -- in humility and repentance -- outward practices are worthless, my study Bible says, and they lead to pride and judgment of others.  Of importance to note is that the text tells us he prays with himself.  My study Bible comments that God is absent where there is boasting.  

 

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "   According to my study bible, the tax collector shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul.  He stands far away from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast downward.  This prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer (a practice designed to fulfill St. Paul's teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; see also this article), as is the refrain "Lord have mercy" that permeates worship and personal prayer. 

 

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."   To be justified means to be forgiven and set right with God.  My study Bible comments here that inward humility is blessed, while pride in outward deeds is condemned.

 

Fr. Stephen Freeman (of the Glory to God for All Things blog) relates a story from the Twelve Step program Alcoholics Anonymous.  He writes, "I recall the words of an old-timer in AA to a young man who was troubled about AA’s talk about 'God' and a 'Higher Power': 'Son, the only thing you need to know about God is that you’re not him.'"   This anecdote may not explain who God is, but it gets to the point of something fundamental to Christ's story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  The Pharisee, a scrupulous observer of all outward religious laws and practices, apparently does not truly pray before God.  He prays "with himself."  This is deliberate language in the Gospels, directly from the Greek, which reads πρὸς ἑαυτὸν προσηύχετο; literally, he "prayed to (or toward) himself."  As my study Bible points out, this is in great contrast to the posture of the Tax Collector, who "would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven."   This hesitancy in facing God, so to speak, is an indication that the tax collector is all too well aware that it is God he stands before, and not another fallible and sinning human being such as himself.  By contrast, the Pharisee seems quite unaware of his own shortcomings, whatever they may be, and has no intention of bringing them up before God, but prays in a way that not only boasts about himself but casts aspersions at the one near him, the Tax Collector.  He not only prays "with himself," but fails to come to God even to ask what else it is that God may want of him.  Where there is no inquiry nor openness to the other (and in this case, the Other is God), there can be no growth.  Thus the Pharisee's prayer is a recipe for being stuck.  The truth is, we're either going toward God, or we're going the other way.  He prays "toward" or "facing" himself (as the Greek πρὸς indicates).  He's looking in his own mirror, at his reflection of himself to himself.  What we all need -- and the point of all worship really -- is to turn toward God, and find how that particular mirror reflects who we are.  In the Proverbs we read, "My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;  for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:11-12).  In today's lectionary selection, this is quoted by St. Paul in the reading from Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:1-14).  A loving God wishes us to be disciples, learners.  To return God's love, and to be embraced by God is to be taught, to be encouraged above all else to grow, to become more like God, for this is the great gift of true self held in our relationship to Creator.  If we pray only toward or with ourselves, well then, like the Pharisee, we stay stuck -- except stuck always leads backwards, for life moves on and there are always new things for us to learn and ways God asks us to grow through the tensions and contradictions of life.  For this Pharisee is deliberately blind to the ways God would lead him.  As Jesus asks frequently, echoing prophets of the Old Testament, "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?"   So let us be justified like the tax collector, in facing God in our prayer, like the children we truly are, and finding what it is our loving Father wants for us, what Christ will teach us.  For He says, "Follow Me."  There's another anecdote but it's told to us by St. John, at the very end of his Gospel.  St. Peter is restored and given direction as he's told by the risen Christ, "Feed My lambs."  But Peter then turns and asks about John standing nearby, "But Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus replies to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."   So this direction is for all of us, if we, like the Pharisee in today's reading, fail to pay attention to what's ours to pay attention to, and look around instead.  It's a good reminder, "You follow Me." Lent is for keeping our focus on God, sharpening and honing our practice at doing so, and learning to be humble before God.  Let us take it one day at a time, and remember what we're to be about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard men, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: . . . We don't know precisely to whom this parable was directed, although of course it has applications to all of us.  But perhaps the behavior exemplified by the Pharisee in the parable is comparable to those who complained against Jesus because He received and ate with tax collectors and sinners (see this reading).

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  My study Bible explains that the Pharisee is highly respected and a careful observer of the details of the Law, while the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, who betrays and cheats his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"  These practices of the Pharisee are worthy examples to follow, my study Bible points out.  His good deeds (such as fasting and giving tithes) are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (that lead to adultery and extortion).  But, my study Bible adds, without a humble and repentance heart, such outward practices are worthless, and lead simply to pride and judgment of others.  It's important to read closely the language used here, that the Pharisee prays with himself.  My study Bible comments that God is absent where there is boasting.

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "  This tax collector shows by his posture that he's aware of the state of his soul.  He stands far from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer.  The refrain "Lord have mercy" permeates worship and personal prayer, my study Bible reminds us.  

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  To be justified means to be forgiven and set right with God, my study Bible explains.  It says that inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned. 

 In modern popular language in the West, we hear a lot about the "ego."  This has become synonymous with grandiosity, or flattering portrayals of ourselves, and is often chastised as being mistaken.  Christ's parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector roots us in the reality of this observed behavior, and defines for our consciousness an awareness of the pitfalls of self-exaltation.  As the Gospel frames it, Jesus delivers this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.  What follows in the parable is the expression of this Pharisee essentially flattering himself in his own eyes, although he appears to be addressing God at the altar.  To use another term often heard today in popular culture, this sense of admiring his own reflection is a pattern of narcissism, named from the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, who drowned as he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.  But Jesus gives us a better picture of the root of the type of mistake in his thinking and practice this Pharisee makes, when He gives us the terms of the Pharisee's prayer.  As my study Bible points out, Jesus phrases this parable specifically in language that declares that this man prayed, not with God, but with himself.  He is so busy admiring himself and painting this self-flattering image that there is no room for God; he's playing to his own image.  Moreover, it is this flaw that leads the Pharisee to condemnation of others, in that he then turns to the image of the tax collector to further boost his own image of himself.  These are patterns given to us in this very simple parable by Jesus that teach us the roots of a disordered type of behavior, one that causes misery both to ourselves and others.  First of all, Jesus makes it clear that the true saving relationship is that between ourselves and God.  We need to be dependent upon God for our measurement of ourselves and our yardstick.  God is the ultimate reality upon which we can base our sense of ourselves without distortion:  it is in that relationship that we may discover where we are sinful, and where we are loved.  What stands in God's sight remains as good and true, what does not must be discarded.  No one loves and knows us as God does, and there is no other who can teach us who we need to be.  To use terms from the myth of Narcissus, but which are most significant in Christianity, it is only Christ who can give us the true image -- or icon, in theological language -- of who we are and must aspire to become.  Looking at others and comparing, or simply looking at our own image we create, distort the picture of truth.  An inverse sort of narcissism is also possible, wherein for our own harmful emotional reasons, we paint an overly negative picture of ourselves that is nevertheless equally self-centered in its focus.  A toxic guilt is just the flip side of the same coin.  But let us look at the tax collector, who prays with God for help and mercy.  This is not a practice of morbid self-guilt, but one of honesty that leads to hope.  He is accepting the reality of his life, and so much more.  He is putting his trust in God for God's everlasting mercy and love.  Even though he knows he is a sinner, he nonetheless is going to God in trust and seeking to establish himself more deeply in God's love.  It is for this reason that he is justified.  As human beings, we're none of us so perfect we haven't got more in front of us God wants us to learn, to correct, adapt, and to grow toward the image God has of us.  Let us find that way to deepen our reliance on God, seeking God's way for ourselves for what we need to discard, and relying on and trusting in God's love and mercy to take us forward.  For this is the only way to well-being.  Jesus says that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  This Pharisee who exalts himself will be humbled at the judgment of Christ, while the tax collector who humbles himself before God will be exalted.  Let us follow and do likewise, fully relying on God's love and mercy to show us what we truly need for our lives.

 

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

This week for those in the West (and also for the Armenian Apostolic Oriental Orthodox) is the beginning of Lent.  The readings of the lectionary correspond to our preparations for the forty days of Lent, traditionally and historically a set-apart time of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer as we move toward the celebration of Christ's Resurrection.  Yesterday we read that, after His night trial at the home of the high priest, Jesus was led from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning.  But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, and it was early morning.  But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.  Pilate then went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"  They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."  Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law."  Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.  Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?"  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me.  What have You done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king them?"  Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"  And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.  But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover.  Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"  Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!"  Now Barabbas was a robber.  

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  Jesus tells this parable in Luke's Gospel as He is about to begin His journey toward Jerusalem for the final week of His earthly life.  My study Bible explains that the Pharisee is highly respected in the society, and a careful observer of the details of the Law.  But the tax collector is despised as a sinner, collaborating with the occupying Roman forces, and betraying and cheating his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "  My study Bible comments that the practices of this Pharisee are worthy example for all to follow.  He does good deeds such as fasting and giving tithes (two hallmarks of historical Lenten practices, we may take notice here) are in fact the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, such outward practices are deemed worthless by my study Bible, and under such conditions they lead only to pride and judgment of others.  It's important to note that the text tells us this man prays with himself.  As my study Bible explains, God is absent where there is boasting.  

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "  This tax collector, my study Bible says, shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul.  He stands far from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer.  Moreover, the refrain "Lord have mercy" permeates worship practices as well as personal prayer.  

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."   To be justified means to be forgiven and set right with God, my study Bible explains.  It notes here that inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned.  

Today's parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector places a great deal of emphasis on humility.  Perhaps this is the singularly most important virtue in terms of our focus during Lent.  Humility is often thought of as something we express before other people, or perhaps in our face to face encounters with others.  But humility only properly begins with humility before God first.  It is that relationship with God that sets down the proper conduct and boundaries for our relationships and communion with other people.  Humility does not imply that one is "less than" another person, nor that one is meant to be "humiliated" or to grovel before others.  Humility is, instead, our guarantee of reliance upon something that is real, a correct assessment of ourselves and our circumstances, and that we don't step outside of or beyond boundaries that are proper to ourselves.  We might also note that in today's parable, Jesus compares the two men in terms of their levels of humility before God, but they are not compared to one another on any other ground.  Jesus does not focus on adding up the virtues of the Pharisee that he brags about, nor does Jesus tear down the Tax Collector for the work that he does.  In this story, the example is about how we come to terms with who we are by being face to face, in humility, with God.  It is once again a way of seeing that we can only come to measure ourselves with hope of a realistic assessment if we do so by coming to God in humility, with God's judgment as the proper yardstick for measurement.   At the end of John's Gospel, there is the story about St. Peter coming to Christ after his denials of Christ, and after Christ's Resurrection.  In that story, Jesus first asks Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" and when Peter replies affirmatively, Jesus tells him what he is to do:  "Feed my lambs."  In this way, Peter is restored to Christ after his three denials of Christ.  But then, another thing happens.  Peter -- as is so frequently the case -- isn't quite satisfied in his exuberance.  He then turns to Jesus and asks about John, who is nearby, and asks Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus replies to Peter, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me" (see John 21:15-22).   In other words, it's up to Peter to 'mind his own business,' so to speak, and focus on what is his to do, not on others.  In this sense today's teaching on humility is also pertinent, for our jobs do not consist of comparing ourselves to others, one way or another.  We stand before Christ, and only humility is appropriate for this relationship and communion, because it is in Christ that we find One who knows us far better than we know or understand ourselves, and One whose love encompasses all things, including the particular roles God desires for us in life.  We needn't fear this humility, because even when we are corrected, we are received in love, and God's truth is always for our benefit.  So let us get used to this idea of finding ourselves in that place where we place love of God as our first priority, and love of neighbor in relationship to that (see Matthew 22:36-40).  In this way there is no sense of envy nor comparison, there is no relationship of competition within a communion, but rather simply a desire to love and to be loved in God's embrace of ourselves and our community.  These conditions are essential for us to understand, for humility of the type which Christ exemplifies can only work in this way for us.  This is the way to sanity and health for all the things that ail us.  Let us seek God's love in this way, as does the tax collector, and find where true righteousness is for us, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read the testimony of John the Baptist, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.   

 

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  In today's reading, we're given one of Jesus' parables which sets the tone for Lent.  The lectionary skips over to Luke's Gospel (tomorrow we will continue in John's Gospel) to give us the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  My study Bible explains that in the context of Christ's audience and society, the Pharisee is highly respected as well as a careful observer of the details of the Law.  But the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"   My study Bible points out that the practices of this Pharisee are worthy example to follow; they are particularly important for us to think about during Lent with its traditional emphases for us.  These "good deeds" -- fasting and giving tithes -- my study Bible calls the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, it notes, these outward practices are worthless and lead only to pride and to judgment of others.  On Saturday, we read from Mark's Gospel a passage in which Jesus indicated a similar teaching on hypocrisy, in His comments warning of the practices of the scribes:  "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation" (Mark 12:38-40).  It is the "humble and repentant heart" that is a necessary component to make such practices effective, and the scribes worthy of the honor they're shown for their office.  In this context, we importantly observe that the text says this Pharisee prays with himself.  My study Bible comments that this is so because God is absent where there is boasting.  

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  My study Bible says that the tax collector shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul, standing far from the altar of sacrifice with eyes cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, and the refrain "Lord have mercy" that permeates the worship practices and personal prayer of so many branches of Christian faith.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study Bible indicates that to be justified here means forgiven and set right with God -- for, it says, inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned. 

If there is anything we should seek to cultivate in this period of Lent, it is the practice of deeper and more meaningful prayer.  It seems to be a good time to explore the practice of the Jesus Prayer, which gives opportunity for us always to think of ourselves as in the presence of God the Father, before Christ, and praying with the Spirit.  This article at the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese sets out the basic idea of the prayer and the practice.  This article at Wikipedia also does a fairly decent job of setting out the practice and its theological and historical roots.  But in terms of its basic practice, the form is quite simple.  As indicated by my study Bible, it follows this prayer of the tax collector given as an example by Jesus of one who prays well.  Its most basic form which is frequently given is, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."  But both shorter and longer versions also exist.   The simple, "Lord have mercy" is one such example.  In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, even the name of Jesus Christ is considered to be a prayer.  The important understanding about this prayer is that it is short, it is upheld by Scripture and rooted in Christian theology in that it declares Jesus as Lord, and it can be prayed at any and all times, in any circumstances.  Most importantly, this short repeated prayer is used as a powerful tool to help us to cultivate the mindfulness of prayer at all times.  That is, it is used to cultivate a prayerful orientation to all of life; it can be prayed while we do menial tasks, at any moment when we "remember God" (also an important practice in itself), in the middle of the day or the night.  Its repetition not only gives us a sense of what it means to live a prayerful life, with a prayerful mindset and orientation, it also allows us to experience what it is to let a prayer "sink down" into ourselves and root itself in the heart.  That is, this type of short prayer, repeated to ourselves either throughout the day when we recollect it, or in sessions of contemplative prayer alone and in quiet time to ourselves, roots itself in consciousness.  The practice itself is designed so that it becomes a part of our thinking, so to speak, a practice designed so that we are eventually praying "without ceasing" as St. Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  It is a good practice to decide to cultivate during Lent -- simple to do, simple to start, and need not be taxing to practice so much as it is simply a matter of decision to begin.  The benefits of this prayer practice can be felt right away for each person and in ways that edify and benefit whatever is going on in one's life, helping to reorient ourselves to God at any time, and drawing closer to Christ with the help of the Spirit.  It is rooted in Scripture and in today's teaching by Jesus found in the parable, and can aid and assist us in finding our way to better love God and cultivate the humility of knowing we are in God's presence at all times.  There is a kind of peace that often comes with this prayer.  It also helps us to let go of what we cannot control.  But each person has to find this for oneself in consenting to Christ's presence (Revelation 3:20).  Let us consider adopting the ways that deepen our faith, and help us to rest in and rely more strongly upon our Lord.

God, be merciful to me a sinner!

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.   I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'   I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read the testimony of John the Baptist, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  The Pharisee, my study bible comments, is a highly respected and careful observer of the details of the Law.  By contrast, the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people.  Often, as a matter of course, the Jewish tax collectors, by virtue of their positions enforced by the Roman state, would claim extra revenues for themselves, thus extorting fellow Jews.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.   I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'" My study bible characterizes these practices of the Pharisee as all worthy examples to follow.  It says that his good deeds that he names here (fasting and giving tithes) are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But we're meant to understand that without a humble and repentant heart (a proper Lenten orientation), these outward practices are worthless.  Instead, they lead only to pride and judgment of others.  We note that the text tells us he prays with himself.  My study bible explains that "God is absent where there is boasting."

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "  The tax collector, by contrast to the boasting Pharisee, shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul.  He stands far from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast downward.  The prayer of the tax collector, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, as is the refrain "Lord have mercy" that permeates worship and personal prayer.  

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study bible explains that justified means forgiven and set right with God.  Inward humility is blessed, while pride in outward deeds is condemned.  

"God, be merciful to me a sinner!" is indeed the basis for many prayers, including that of the Jesus Prayer practice, which is also called Prayer of the Heart.  The Jesus Prayer has taken on many forms throughout the centuries of Christianity, but is based on a repetition of the phrase "Lord have mercy" or Kyrie Eleison in the Greek.  Its present form is formally "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."   But one need not use that formal form to perform the Jesus Prayer practice.  Here and here are two webpages on the practice of the Jesus Prayer, and there are many others.  But, put most simply, in an effort to follow the admonition of St. Paul to "'pray without ceasing" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), the earliest monastics began using a prayer rule, in which they would repeat a very short prayer all the day long, such as while doing manual work.  This took on various forms, such as the first verse from Psalm 70, "Make haste, O God, to deliver me!  Make haste to help me, O Lord!"  In this context, we must recall that the earliest Christian monastics went out into the wilderness and deserts to follow Christ in His forty-day fast, struggling against their own temptations and tests.  Over the centuries of Christian tradition, this practice has evolved into what is now called the Jesus Prayer.  Put most simply, it is a focus on a simple prayer, repeated for a period of time, in which the mind continues to refocus on this prayer.  It is distinguished from other contemplative practices in that it is truly a prayer practice, with intention as prayer.  If we wish to begin a good Lenten practice, we would all do well to start there, as good discipline and focus for any follower of Jesus Christ.  Be let us turn back to the parable as given by Jesus, in which we are made to understand that it is the humility of the tax collector that saves and "justifies " him, over and above the virtuous Pharisee.   In order to fully appreciate this parable, we must first of all understand that Jesus preached the same point repeatedly about humility.  It is an essential lesson for those who would follow Christ.  Moreover, in the context of Christ's time, humility was not a valued virtue of what it meant to be "great," as Jesus Himself pointed out when He told the disciples, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them . . . Yet it shall not be so among you . . . " (Mark 10:42-43, Luke 22:25-26, Matthew 20:25-26).  But it is a keystone of what it means to be a follower of Christ, and it remains our primary focus for understanding who we are.  This humility is not a groveling sort of understanding within a power hierarchy.  Rather, it is an accurate assessment of what is best for us, and especially our own place before God.  We accept that we are meant to grow, that we don't know everything about ourselves, but that we are dependent upon our relationship of communion with Christ to show us the way in our lives.  In this sense, Christ's parable given in today's reading is meant to be instructive in that it teaches us our proper orientation in life, as contrasted to the Pharisee who seems to be measuring himself by himself, oblivious to the pathway a deeper communion with God might bring.  The Pharisee remains instructive to all of us  particularly in a modern culture where social media plays such a great role.  We have all heard the term "virtue signalling," and that is clearly something this Pharisee does well.  He flatters himself with the picture of himself, and by contrasting himself to the odious tax collector.  Our lesson in humility starts with the idea that a communion with God means we will always be led somewhere beyond what we know, and we need a deep mystical participation in prayer and humility as an ongoing spiritual awareness.  Lent is the right time to remember what we are meant to be about, to find that depth in which we come before God in humility to seek the light we don't yet know, and allow Christ to illumine the darkness of which we are not aware.  We can point to all the good deeds and legalism of rule-following we want to, but that doesn't bring us closer to God in the heart.  For that, we need a different kind of orientation, which is the true heart of repentance or "change of mind" as the Greek word metanoia/μετανοια literally means.  Let us take time to cultivate that inner depth of prayer, retreating from the appearance-focused mantras of today's social rules and paradigms as cultivated by so much of what passes for community in our current phase of modern culture.  Let us focus on the heart where God takes us and Jesus calls, the place of truth and reckoning before God, where we all know we are on a road to somewhere -- and ask for God's help to find His way for us.