February 19, 2006
-
Last Sunday began the Triodion , a three week period leading up to Lent, beginning with the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee. Today was the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Click on the underlined words to learn more and to see the icons of these Parables.
Here is Fr. Steven Kostoff’s ”Monday Morning Meditations” from last week.
Dear Fathers, Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,
The contrast between religious pride and humility was presented to us yet again with the reading of the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee at yesterday’s Liturgy. Actually, yesterday was the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, and this commemoration inaugurated the pre-lenten season centered around the superb cycle of Gospel readings that will hopefully prepare us for the beginning of Great Lent on March 6. If we could only ponder these texts in our heart, then perhaps our heart will be ready for the liberating labors of Lent.
Religious pride can also be termed self-righteousness, and it was abundantly exemplified in the prayer of the Pharisee. Christ criticized this type of prayer because it placed greater emphasis on the self than on God. The Pharisee seemed more intent on enumerating his virtues, rather than on praising and blessing God as the true Source of his “achievements.” He was not criticized for his practices that including tithing and fasting, but for boasting that they somehow elevated him over “other men” found in the community. These others include “extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, or even … this tax collector.” (LK. 18:11) No doubt such men were sinners that Christ would also call to repentance. But in reading into the heart of the Pharisee’s prayer, Christ uncovered the insidious presence of pride. Pride glorifies and ultimately alienates the self from both God and neighbor. Puffed up and bloated with an ever-expanding vision of self-importance and self-worth, the Pharisee had no “room” left for God. Ironically and sadly, the Pharisee is spiritually bankrupt because he has been doing “spiritual” things in the wrong spirit.
The publican (tax collector) had apparently done nothing right in his life for some time before entering the temple to pray one day. He understood this and thus “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner’!” (LK. 18:13) And in yet another twist in this short parable, he is the one who “went down to his house justified rather than the other!” (LK. 18:14) His contrition revealed his humility. In not choosing the false path of self-justification, he would find himself justified by God. This surely implies a change of life on the part of the Publican. Emptied of the self through self-condemnation, there is “room” for God to work in his heart. Humility cultivates and fertilizes the heart so that the seeds of the Word can be planted and grow in abundance. Humility serves to clarify our vision so that we behold the greatness of God and the equality of our neighbor.
The final pronouncement of Christ is decisive: “For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (LK. 18:14) This is a wonderful description of the self-emptying and glorification of Christ in His death and resurrection. It was freely chosen, not simply imposed on Him. He trusted that His Father would deliver Him, so the Lord could freely commend His spirit into His hands.
This parable does not encourage us to abandon the practices of our church life so that we can avoid the pitfall of pride! It rather encourages and warns us against the subtle ways that pride that choke the seed planted in our hearts, by tempting us to elevate the self over God. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the pathways to God, not prideful self-glorification, however piously couched. If we like to think that, like the Publican, we have our moments of humility; then we need to confess that we also resemble the Pharisee in our pride. The saints tell us that if we do not humble ourselves, than God will humble us.
