Lent Wk 3rd: Saturday 13th March, 2021 March 13, 2021
Reflection on the WORD
“Self-Righteousness”: In today’s Gospel, Jesus points out the self-righteous Pharisee who prides himself to be “holy”, and condemning the publican as a sinner. In contrast, the publican with humility begs for God’s Mercy to forgive his many sins. Which one of these two describes you more accurately?
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Luke 18:9-14
Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else, ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.”
The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- •As human beings we tend to boast of our goodness to the Lord and often ignoring our own faults and sins. This is a form of arrogance.
- •Instead of being “arrogant” like the Pharisees, we should do things out of our love for Jesus.
- •Ultimately, it is those believers who ask for forgiveness, like the tax collector, will be saved. For these are the ones who are humble enough to acknowledge their sins and seek redemption from the Lord. And these are the ones whom the Lord loves and is most proud of.