Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Today's Mass Readings

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a powerful parable about two individuals. One is called a Pharisee; the other a tax collector. What kind of persons are they?

The Pharisees are presented in the Gospels as very self-assured. They brag about being better than others. This particular one proudly proclaims that he is “not like the rest of humanity.”

In contrast, we have the tax collector. At the time of Jesus, tax collectors were considered to be like the scum of the earth. They bribed to get their jobs and then fraudulently scammed ordinary citizens. Jesus gives us this parable to highlight the importance of humility. Jesus wants us to strive for humility for several reasons.

Firstly, God desires humble persons rather than self-righteous ones. Remember what the prophet Micah wrote: “You have been told, O mortal, what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8).

Secondly, we should imitate Jesus who himself was humble. Jesus “humbled himself becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Thirdly, St. Benedict reminds the monk, and all of us, that “after ascending all the steps of humility, the monk will quickly arrive at that perfect love of God which casts out fear” (RB 7:67).

Jesus gives us this parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector to encourage us to be humble.

Reflection: How should I walk humbly with God?

Reflection by Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB