Sunday the 26th of October 2025 - The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 35:15b-17, 20-22b/ Ps 34(33)/ 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18/ Luke 18:9-14

In our publicity fuelled world today we seem to be encouraged at every opportunity to engage in self-promotion. There are numerous TV programs promoted as ‘celebrity’ editions when the so called celebrities are either little known or only known through their ability to self-promote rather than for some outstanding achievement. The theme of the readings for today is rather counter to the expectations of our world. We are called to genuine humility and repentance for our wrongdoing, our sins. The focus of the gospel parable given by Jesus is the contrast between the self-righteous Pharisee who cannot see his own faults but pours scorn on the tax collector, who, in his turn is full of remorse and self-reflection. We can find ourselves in a similar position to both these people. Sometimes we might find ourselves passing judgement on others without knowing anything about their circumstances, becoming blind to our own faults and failings. At other times we can become acutely aware of our sinfulness if we just spend a little time on self-reflection in the presence of the Lord. We must avoid comparing ourselves with others trying instead to make a comparison between what we honestly are and who we should be in the sight of God.

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector are both in the Temple to pray. Prayer should be the way we draw near to God. The closer we come to the perfection of God the more we should become aware of our own imperfections. The Pharisee has not made a meaningful prayerful connection with God because he has concentrated on himself and is determined to compare himself with what he assumes the Tax Collector to be. The Tax Collector has connected with God in prayer and through his self-awareness has acknowledged his sins in the face of God. He calls on the mercy of God knowing that he is a sinner. He will leave the temple reconciled with God, himself, and the world. The Pharisee will leave the temple in the same ignorant self-assured condition in which he entered. He will continue on his sinful course through life, justifying himself by pointing out the failings he perceives to be present in others. He exults himself in the world and is heading for a fall. Meanwhile the Tax Collector, who is full of self-awareness, acknowledges his sins, and asks for God’s mercy will be exalted by God. The focus for us are the dangers of pride, the need for genuine humility, and the understanding of how the grace of God can lead us to salvation.

We come before God through prayer which is putting ourselves in His presence and allowing God to speak to us. This requires us to be prepared to listen. The first reading contains the beautiful line, ‘The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord’. Prayer like this comes from the hearts and souls of those who have come to realise how much they depend on God’s mercy. Although the prayers of all are heard by God there is a special concern for the oppressed, orphans, widows, the sick, those who are least able to help themselves and come to the Lord in humility. This sentiment is reflected in the psalm today, the poor and lowly one called and was heard by the Lord, the Lord is close to the broken hearted, he will save those whose spirit is crushed.

The prayer of the Pharisee was not heard because he sought justification through comparison with others and by the empty following of rules and regulations without understanding what their purpose was. We need to drive out any thoughts of self-justification which serve only to block the reception of the grace and mercy of God. We may, like the Pharisee, think we are living exemplary lives but in fact we might be leaving no room for the grace of God to enter our souls and take effect. If we become proud and complacent we can become so full of ourselves that there is no room for God. We need to become truly humble in the sight of God giving space in our lives for his grace and mercy to enter, take hold, and transform us. We must focus on God and our relationship with him recognising that we are in constant need of mercy and forgiveness. rather than comparing ourselves with others and blindly following rules and conventions without understanding where they should lead us.

Jesus is telling us today to be less like the Pharisee and more like the Tax Collector. We become like the Pharisee when we live on our achievements, announcing how good at this or that we are without giving any credit to God, when we look for recognition and praise for our perceived accomplishments, when we look down on others and judge them by our own standards. We become more like the Tax Collector by becoming aware of our own failings in the sight of God, acknowledging our total dependence on God, that we achieve nothing without his grace, by confessing our daily failings, our sinfulness, asking for God to strengthen us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Our prayer should not be a list of perceived achievements and requests from God as rewards. They need to include all the necessary elements as set out in the perfect prayer given to us by Jesus. Our prayer should include acknowledgement of our sins and a request for forgiveness, thankfulness for all the blessing we receive daily from God, worship and praise of God, our unconditional submission to God and his plan for us, acknowledgement of our weakness and total dependence on God’s grace, and only then the requests for what we need rather than what we might want and this in accordance with God’s will. Let us join the humble Tax Collector and pray each day, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

God Bless Brendan