Dyed with Christ colour to die with Christ 

The Baptism of Our Lord – January 12, 2020 Readings:

Isa 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17 

“The Spirit of God descended like a dove ..., a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my son’” (Mt) 

Prologue: The commemoration of Jesus’ Baptism ought to remind each of us of our own baptism. Though most of us have been baptized as infants, yet, it is vital to be aware that our first and foundational identity as ‘Christians’ comes from us being ‘baptized’ and ‘anointed’ in Christ. This demands that each of us, Christians, emulates Jesus in all He is, He says, He does. 

Three Scriptural Signposts: 

1. In the second part of the Book of Isaiah (from chs 40-55, often called ‘Deutero-Isaiah’), there are four ‘Servant songs’ which have descriptions of a future envoy of God who will have the characteristics of prophet, priest and king, and will be ready to suffer and die for his people. Today’s passage is from the first of these four oracles that mirror the Messiah. God’s servant is God’s Messiah, a chosen one, Spirit-filled, and one in whom “God delights”. In the First Testament, the spirit of God was bestowed upon prophets, priests and kings. Though this servant will be powerful, he will be humble and gentle in accomplishing his God-given mission, which will be to “bring forth justice”. There is also foretelling that this servant will be “a covenant to the people, a light to the nations” (v.6). Scripture scholars see Isaiah’s “I have put my Spirit upon him” (v.1) and Jesus’ baptism in today’s gospel passage with “God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him” (v.16) as parallels. From this they conclude that Matthew ‘dyes’ Jesus, the Messiah, with Isaiah’s ‘Servant colour’ before unfolding his new, covenantal mission. 

2. While the first reading describes the ‘suffering servant’ as being invested with the power of God’s Spirit, the gospel reading describes the actual event of the Messiah being baptized and empowered with the Spirit some five centuries later. Note that the baptism which John ministered to those who came to the River Jordan was one for repentance of sins. In other words, all those who lined up at the banks of the Jordan were sinners needing repentance. The external sign of being washed by water was indicative of their inner repentance and spiritual cleansing. By sharp contrast, Jesus was the sinless one who really had no need of any baptism. Nonetheless, by standing in line with sinners, he symbolically shows that he is in solidarity with them. Moreover, as mentioned in Matthew’s gospel, he will be fulfilling what was told to his foster-father, Joseph: “he [Jesus] will save his people from their sins” (1:21). Knowing that his cousin Jesus is the holy, sinless one come from God, John would have prevented him, saying: “I need to be baptized by you; and do you come to me?” (v.14). Jesus’ answer, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness” (v.15) is indicative of what Paul says of Jesus’ role as reconciler (2 Cor 5:21): “For our sake God made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 

3. The English ‘baptism’ is derived from the Greek, baptizo, meaning, ‘dyeing’ or ‘dipping’. As Jesus “came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him” (v.16). Mention of ‘heavens opening’ is the result of a three-tier worldview of heavens being ‘up there’, earth being ‘around here’ and Hades/hell being below us: the ‘underworld’. This small detail of ‘heavens opened’ appears only twice earlier in the Bible, i.e., at Ezekiel’s call to his prophetic mission (Ezek 1:1) and announcing the advent of the Messiah (Isa 64:1). The anointing with the Spirit indicates that the time is ripe for Jesus to begin his ministry. In the Bible, the Spirit is given to empower those entrusted with a mission (see Judges 3:10; 6:34; Num 11:25, etc.). Unlike the baptism narratives in Mark and Luke, Matthew’s gospel lays greater stress on Jesus’ baptism. He comes to the river in order to be baptized and insists on being baptized despite John’s protestations. By undergoing John’s baptism, the Jesus of Matthew’s gospel kills two birds with one stone: first, he does what a good Jew was required to do and fulfills the Law by stating that “we should do all that righteousness demands” (v.15), and second, Jesus is shown as integral to, and inaugurator of, the new messianic community by standing with repentant sinners. The voice: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased” (v.17) heard by all is the stamp of divine authorization that differentiates Jesus from the others baptized. 

Linking the 2nd Reading to the ‘Dyeing’ Baptismal Theme:

This reading from the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ contains Peter’s speech, wherein he refers to Jesus’ baptism and anointing with the Spirit. Interestingly, Peter’s speech in today’s passage is the outcome of an experience (see Acts ch. 10) he has with a so-called pagan-centurion, Cornelius. Peter has a dream about being asked to eat the flesh of animals whom he, a good Jew, was not supposed to eat. But God tells him to eat; and he hears the voice saying, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane” (10:15). This ‘dream-experience’ makes Peter to re-examine his original belief that only Jews can follow the Way of Christ. He baptizes Cornelius. In this passage (vv.34-38), he proclaims: “Jesus Christ is Lord of all!” (v.36). Indeed, if Jesus is Lord of all, then his Body-Church must strive to save all women and men. Our baptism or ‘dyeing’ is truly ‘catholic’ – literally meaning ‘universal’ – precisely because it opens us out to all peoples and responds to all problems. 

Three Texts from Church Tradition:

St Ireneus (c.130-202) in ‘The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching’: “Remember that we have received baptism for the remission of sins in the name of God the Father and in the name of Christ, the Son of God, who was incarnate, died and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God. This baptism is the seal of eternal life and the new birth unto God that we should no longer be the children of mortal men but of the eternal and perpetual God.” St Cyprian (c. 200–258) in ‘Treatise’ 10:14: “Let us, then, who in baptism have both died and been buried in respect of the carnal sins of the old person, who have risen again with Christ in the heavenly regeneration, both think upon and do the things which are Christ’s, even as the same apostle again teaches and counsels, saying: “The first man is of the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven” (Treatise 10.14). Pope Francis (on baptism): “Let the grace of your baptism bear fruit in a path of holiness. Let everything be open to God; turn to God in every situation. Do not be dismayed, for the power of the Holy Spirit enables you to do this, and holiness, in the end, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life.” REFLECTION: Are we striving with help from the Spirit to live a life of holiness, love, service?

Strengthen weak hands and feeble knees 

Third Sunday of Advent – Cycle A – December 15, 2019 

Isa 35:1-6,10; Jam 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11 

“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees” (Isa 35:3) 

Three Scriptural Signposts:

The 3rd Sunday of Advent is ‘Gaudete Sunday’ loosely translated as ‘Joyful Sunday’—signaling the halfway mark of the Advent season—echoed in the ‘Entrance Antiphon’: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5). The liturgical colour is rose. 

1. Isaiah’s prophecy in the first reading is reminiscent of the Exodus, which took place some thirteen centuries before the Christ event. Though sounding like the entry into the promised land, it rather describes the end of and exit from Babylonian Exile and the rebuilding of broken lives six centuries before Christ’s birth. Through their infidelity, indolence and idolatry, the Israelites had lost their communitarian identity and their freedom and bore the trials and torments of the Exile. Nonetheless, by using King Cyrus—who had captured Babylon and set the Jews free—God was giving them a new lease of life. This liberation from Babylonian slavery would be such a great source of joy that “the wilderness [which separates Babylon from Jerusalem] and the dry land shall be glad.” The prophet’s words resound with hope and joy. The exhortation: “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees; say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear!’” breathe hope amidst hopelessness and instill courage in the fearful. This is prophetic assurance that God’s Hand will be upon the people. With the coming of the Messiah, the power of God’s Hand will be tangible and visible when “the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, the lame will leap and the dumb sing for joy” (vv.5-6). There is also mention that “the ransomed of the Lord shall return ...”. Though this was partially fulfilled in 538 BC with the ‘return’ from Exile, this will more fully be understood with the advent of the Messiah. Indeed, all these ‘signs’ point to Messianic power and presence. 

2. The Gospel narrative opens with the imprisoned John the Baptist asking his disciples to make inquiries about Jesus. The query is strange: “Are you the one who is to come, or do we wait for someone else?” Did John suddenly develop doubts about Jesus’ identity? There could be a couple of explanations for this. First, the reports that the imprisoned John got from his disciples that Jesus was a gentle, merciful and loving person, might not have fitted with his previous prediction of a judgmental, punishing, “throwing into the fire” kind of messiah (see Mt 3:7-12). So, probably confused about this misfit between his perception of Jesus and the ‘real’ Jesus, he must have wanted to clarify for himself whether Jesus was, indeed, the promised one. Second, it is also possible that Matthew the Evangelist wants to evoke in Jesus’ disciples (i.e., us, today), an answer to John’s question, “Do we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, or do we seek another?” The ball is in our court, so to say. 

3. To John’s apparent questioning, Jesus reiterates Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy of the first reading about restoring sight to the blind, making the lame walk and raising the dead to life. Jesus’ answer also reiterates other prophecies of the Messiah (see Isa 61:1-2), which 

Jesus himself proclaims in his visit to the synagogue at Nazareth (Lk 4:16-19). The miracles Jesus mentions are not meant to be ‘proof’ of his Messianic mission but ‘signs’ that call for discernment, decision and discipleship. Those who wish to be his disciples must know that he is ‘different’ from all their preconceived ideas of ‘who’ the Messiah should be. He will be merciful, not judgmental and vengeful. Jesus then praises his cousin, John, for his life of mortification, insistence upon truth, and thirst for justice. However, in the same breath Jesus says that a new era has dawned in Him. Great as he was, John the Baptist was the last prophet of the First Testament and the herald of He who was to come: Jesus! Now, in and through Jesus, God’s Reign was inaugurated .... and, even the “least in the kingdom of heaven” would, in a way, be greater than John. 

Linking the Second Reading to the Theme:

One must not mistakenly think that Advent is a time of preparation for only the Incarnation and the birth of Our Lord. It is not. Advent also points out to Jesus’ ‘second coming’ as the Letter of St. James indicates. James gives us the example of a farmer who must wait patiently for the rains. But, not without soiling his hands with hard work! While the Lord’s ‘coming’ is pure gift and unmerited grace, there’s need for human toil, preparation and great patience. Indeed, God’s Hand works in tandem with the farmer’s hands to produce a hundredfold harvest. 

Today’s responsorial psalm is the first of the set of five ‘Hallelujah Psalms’ (Pss 146-150) that concludes the Book of Psalms. God is praised because God is trustworthy. God’s Hand is once again seen in ‘signs’ like executing justice for the oppressed, feeding the hungry, setting prisoners free, and protecting sojourners, widows, orphans. The refrain pleads, “Come, Lord, and save us!” 

An Appropriate Anecdote:

Little Miriam and her daddy were crossing a narrow bridge over a river. Fearing for his child, Miriam’s daddy said to her, “Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don’t fall into the river.” Miriam said, “No, daddy! You hold my hand.” Puzzled, her father asked: “What’s the difference?” “There’s a big difference,” replied Miriam. “If I hold your hand and something happens to me, I may let go of your hand. But if you hold my hand, I’m sure that no matter what happens, you’ll never let go of my hand.” Like Miriam, the Israelites rested safe and secure in God’s Hands. God’s Hand—and their helping hands—signified hope. 

In Lighter Vein:

In olden days when pulpits were used for homilies, a newly ordained priest was preaching his first sermons in an old church during Advent. Nervous and trembling—with ‘weak hands and feeble knees’, so to say—he muttered: “Behold! I come ....” Sadly, his mind went blank .... Undaunted, shaking the railing of the pulpit, he said more forcefully, “Behold! I come ....” No use. His mind remained blank. A third time, banging on the railing, he cried out: “Behold! I come ...” Unfortunately, the railing gave way and he found himself in the lap of an old lady and apologized profusely. She said, “It’s alright, Father! You warned me thrice about coming ...” 

Reflection:

The theme of hope threads together all three readings. But, though the fulfillment of hope ultimately rests in God’s Hand, we must prepare for Christ’s coming by doing two things: (a) trusting in God and heeding Jesus’ words, “happy is the one who does not lose faith in me” (Mt 11:6); (b) being a ‘hand of God’ in strengthening the weak hands and feeble knees of others, today. 

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Temples built by toil & for testimony

33rd Sunday of the Year – Cycle C – 17 November 2007         

Readings: Mal 4:1-2a; 2 Thess 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19 – 

“Your endurance will win you your lives” (Lk)

Three Significant Signposts:

1. Approaching the dusk of the 3rd (Year C) liturgical season, the readings sound more sombre and point towards the end-times, so as to set us reflecting on what’s important and everlasting in our lives, and what’s not. The gospel reading has the Temple of Jerusalem as its context; and so we could focus our attention on how we live our lives since we are created in God’s image and likeness and are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’. Prophet Malachi—whose name in Hebrew means ‘God’s messenger’—calls his people to walk along the paths of righteousness. He preached around the year 450 BC to the Babylonian exiles who had returned from enduring harrowing experiences on alien soil. Thus, although one would expect them to live better, repentant lives, they were once again wayward in their dealings with God and their fellow human beings. Consequently, in the light of the future coming of the Day of the Lord, Malachi’s message is both, one of caution and of consolation. On the one hand, he cautions evildoers who foolishly live arrogant, selfish lives—they will be burned like stubble; and, on the other hand, he consoles the righteous who live in holy fear of God—they will experience the warmth of God’s love since, “the sun of righteousness will shine with healing in its rays.”

2. The Gospel passage begins with the believers marveling at the mighty, magnificent Temple of Jerusalem, which was the centre of Jewish worship. Greatly esteemed as a visible, worthy dwelling place of the invisible, eternal God, it stood sturdy, imposing, indestructible and almost timeless like the God believed to inhabit it. However, Jesus puts things in right perspective and distinguishes between means and ends, temporal and eternal, destructible and indestructible. Of the Temple, he predicts, “the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down” (v.6). Let’s remember that such a malediction from Jesus’ mouth would be quite shocking for his hearers since it took Herod 50 years to renovate the Temple to its original glory as built by King Solomon five centuries earlier. Begun in the year 26 B.C., the renovation had just been completed when Jesus’ disciples and other devotees express great awe at the impressive stonework. However, Jesus was not imagining things when he spoke of the destruction of this Temple of Jerusalem; for within 40 years, the Romans would quell the Barsabbus revolt and completely destroy the Temple in the year 70 AD, leaving only what the Christians often call the ‘Wailing Wall’—or, the ‘Western Wall’—still standing. 

3. Shocked at what Jesus predicts of the destruction of the Temple, the people ask him: “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” (v.7). In answer, Jesus cautions them: “Beware that you are not led astray …” and then warns them about being swayed by false prophets and fanatic sects that will claim to speak in his name. Jesus also uses so-called ‘eschatological’ or end-time language: national uprisings, earthquakes, famines, plagues, dreadful portents and great signs from heaven (vv.9-11). Bible scholars are undecided as to what extent these are exactly Jesus’ words and how much has been edited by the evangelist who expected the end of the world to be imminent. Notably, even today, we have doomsday prophets and fanatic sects who aggressively proselytize and ‘forcibly convert’ people to their paths and panths using frightening language and scary symbols. Would Jesus approve of all this? And, does Jesus himself intend to be fanatical, fatalistic and futuristic? Not at all! Rather, apart from advising us: “refuse to join them!” he also gives us a comforting reassurance: “This will give you an opportunity to testify. So, make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict” (vv.13-15). Jesus wants you and me to testify about him before those who oppose him with his calm assurance: “I am with you.”

Linking the Second Reading to the Theme:

In Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonians he expresses affection for them and praises their faith and good works. However, there are some of them who are lazy, idle, and shun work. Paul advises these “to imitate us” (the apostolic teachers) who, over and above earning their daily bread through hard toil, spent much time to proclaim Good News to all. Indeed, Paul ‘walks the talk’ by practising his own trade, tent-making, while catechizing the Thessalonians. Hard work has great witness value besides helping individuals and communities to support themselves. 

Contextual Temple Concern:

The mandir-masjid concern: Last week, November 9, five judges of the Supreme Court overruled previous decisions about 1/3rd land sharing among the groups that were in conflict for over 25 years and ruled that the entire disputed mandir-masjid site, be entirely handed over to build a Ram Mandir as per beliefs of the majority community. There is foreboding that other ‘disputed sites’—including some churches in India—allegedly built upon shrines of yesteryears will have to handed over in order to bring about peace and harmony in India. What do you think?

Point for Reflection:

Today, we are increasingly familiar with the persecution of Christians not only worldwide; but concretely in many regions—especially in remote villages—in India. What if each and every church or chapel is destroyed on account of Man-made or natural tragedies? Would Indian Christianity die an un/natural death? Not likely. Jesus forewarns us when he points to himself as the temple (Jn 2:19) and Paul describes us as “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). Thus, amid the darkness and death we see around us, each of us is called to give ‘witness’ to God by being another Christ: God’s temple. The word ‘witness’ come from the Greek, marturia, from where we get the English ‘martyr’. Has the time come for many more Indian-Christians—especially shepherds—to undergo martyrdom for their flock and for God? 

An Apt Story:

Three stonecutters were breaking stones for building a temple. When asked what they were doing, one grumpily said, “I’m breaking stones!” Said the second, “I’m working for wages to support my family.” Singing as he sweated, the third said, “I’m building God’s temple!” While all three were doing the same work, only one enjoyed it, working for the sheer joy of building for God, with God. Wouldn’t we be building God’s temple if we toiled harder and gave witness—like Paul—by ‘being’ Good News to all those we meet?

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Leaven for heaven 

32nd Sunday of the Year – Cycle C – 10 November 2019 

Readings: 2 Macc 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thess 2:16 – 3:5; Lk 20:27-38 

“The King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life” (Macc) 

Three Scriptural Signposts 
 

1. As we move towards the close of the annual liturgical cycle, the readings lead us to reflect upon end-time realities: last judgement, heaven, hell, reward, punishment, etc. In this regard, the first and third readings have three points in common: (a) they contain stories about hope in the afterlife; (b) there is mention of seven men; and, (c) there are indications about what the resurrection means and implies concretely. The two books of Maccabees describe the war of liberation which the Jews, led by Mattathias and his sons, waged and eventually won against the pagan, tyrant king of Syria. The desire of Antiochus Epiphanes IV (who reigned from 175-163 BC)—Hellenistic king of the Seleucid Empire—was to destroy the Jewish religion with the Temple and all that was dear to the Jews in order to Hellenize them. His attempts were thwarted by the heroism of the Maccabees who stood firm in their faith. Today’s passage describes the deep faith, courage and martyrdom of a mother and her seven sons during this persecution of the Jews who remained faithful to the Law despite threats, tortures and their murders. They were forced to consume pork—an abomination according to Jewish dietary stipulations— which they refused, and were killed. The story of the seven brothers provides evidence for the later development in Judaism of the hope for the resurrection from the dead. One of the brothers declares: “the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws” and another says, “One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him.” The Jewish hope was not merely the resuscitation of the body and prolongation of this earthly life but an entirely new mode of existence: a renewal. 

2. While the first reading reports a fact that is substantially historical, in the gospel passage, the Sadducees’ story about a woman’s seven husbands is fabricated in order to trap Jesus and show him in poor light. Of course, the Bible (Deut 25:5-10) does mention the ‘levirate marriage’—from the Latin ‘levir’ meaning brother or brother-in-law—whereby upon the death of a woman’s husband, his brother is expected to marry his brother’s wife in order to continue the family lineage. This caveat notwithstanding, it seems rather farfetched that a woman should marry seven brothers one after the other; stranger still is the question of the Sadducees: “In the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be?” (v.33). Confronted by this quaint question, Jesus makes two points to explain the resurrection. First, resurrection is not a prolongation of our present earthly life but it is an entirely new mode of life; and since in that new life there is no death, to provide for perpetuation of the human race is pointless. Second, far from making the resurrection seem absurd, the Pentateuch has an understanding of God that is fully consistent with such a hope in everlasting life. This is so because the Bible repeatedly talks about God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob even after their death—and so they must be alive!
 

3. Jesus seeks to explain to the Sadducees that God has been revealed basically as the God of Life and of all living beings. This Life is enhanced by God entering into relationship with human beings, a relationship that can never be destroyed—not even by death. Thus, after death, we shall rise and be “like angels” and “children of God” (v.36). Our resurrected bodies will be different from our earthly bodies with their sexual, procreative and other corporal instincts. This is well described by Paul (see 1 Cor 15:42-44) who speaks of an earthly, corruptible body which is “sown” and the imperishable, glorious “spiritual body” which rises from the dead and is incapable of dying any more. 

Linking the Psalm and Second Reading to the Theme

The responsorial psalm (17) echoes the martyr’s cry for vindication: “Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry.” Beginning with distress, the psalm ends in a note of confidence: “I shall see your face and be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory.” It’s unlikely that the psalmist refers to the resurrection when he says “when I awake.” However, seen in the context of the first reading, the verses seem to acquire a deeper meaning. The second reading, too, has a forward orientation since Paul reminds his community at Thessalonica that: “The Lord is faithful” and speaks of God “who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope.” It is for us, then, to hold on to God’s promises with deep faith and fearlessness. 

Pope Francis’ View of Heaven [Homily at Domus Sanctae Marthae on April 27, 2018]:

“Christians must continue to remind themselves that ‘God is faithful’ and that He will fulfill his promise. Heaven will be that encounter, an encounter with the Lord who has gone there to prepare the place, the encounter with each one of us. And this gives us confidence; it makes trust grow .... May the Lord give us this awareness of being on a journey with this promise. May the Lord give us this grace: to look up and think: ‘The Lord is praying for me’.” 

A Contextual Concern:

Just as the Maccabees stood up for their faith and were persecuted in the pre-Christian era, there are many simple people in villages, nationwide, who give witness to Christ and are ‘faith-full’ Christians today despite trials and tribulations. 

A Point for Reflection:

Today, many people are skeptical about resurrection and the reality of heaven. G. B. Shaw reportedly remarked, “I like heaven for the climate, but prefer hell for the company!” Do people get a foretaste of heaven by the witness of our lives? Heaven is not only an ‘up there’ reality but a tangible ‘down here’ fact that we create for ourselves and others. 

In Lighter Vein:

After their death, a cardinal and a lawyer reached heaven. The cardinal was given a small room while the lawyer was assigned a huge suite with all luxuries. “Excuse me, St Peter,” clarified the lawyer, “Don’t you think that the cardinal deserves a much better room than mine?” Peter replied, “No, we have many cardinals here but you are our only lawyer.” 

“My husband is an angel,” said a young married woman to an older one. “You are lucky,” mumbled the older woman, “Mine is still alive!” We can never be sure who is in heaven. But, like those seven brave brothers, let’s make sure we get there. 

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Pharisaic merit versus Publican mercy 

30th Sunday of the Year – Cycle C – 27 October 2019
Readings: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Tim 4:6-8, 16-18; Lk 18:9-14 

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Lk 18) 

Three Scriptural Signposts: 

1. The first reading from Sirach or Ecclesiasticus is chosen since it corresponds to, and complements, today’s Gospel passage. This passage is from ‘Biblical wisdom literature’ that deals with commonplace problems and commonsense truths dealing with Life. Today’s focus is on sincere prayer to God—who is both just and merciful to those who call on God’s name. There are a few striking statements in this passage that prepare us for the Gospel; for instance, God “will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged” (v.16) and “will not ignore the supplication of the orphan or the widow when she pours out her complaint” (v.17). In the Biblical tradition, God preferentially loves the poor, the anawim, marked by some ‘less’ which makes them weak and vulnerable. The widow is husbandless, the orphan, parentless, and the alien or stranger, friendless. God will unfailingly step in to protect, defend and specially love these sections of society. 

2. The gospel passage with the so-called ‘Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican’ (tax- collector) is only found in the gospel according to Luke, specially addressed to the poor and the weak whom God loves very much. The two ‘main characters’—Pharisee and tax collector—are not only two individuals but also represent two contrary orientations: the proud vs. the humble, ego-inflating vs. self-effacing, those boasting about their own merit vs. those begging for God’s mercy, respectively. Gauged from a purely legalistic and logical viewpoint, the Pharisees self-assessment is 100% true. He is, indeed, an extremely disciplined, scrupulous devotee who prays, fasts, and pays temple taxes, which everyone ought to be doing! In his own words, he is certainly “not like this tax collector.” What is problematic, however, is that the Pharisee’s praying is actually a form of ‘preying’ whereby he focuses not on God, but on himself—raising himself up and pushing others down—in order to assume a holier-than-thou aura, which makes him classify and condemn, differentiate and denigrate. He thanks God that: “I am not like other people” who all belong to some category: thieves, rogues, adulterers and tax-collectors (all sinners!) Basically, I am good, they are bad; I am pure, they, impure, and so on. 

3. Unlike Jesus’ other parables that are symbolic and often indicative of the end-times, this parable is simple and direct. Jesus gives a simple, unambiguous message: Be like the tax collector; who focuses not on his own merit (punya, in the Indic tradition) but rather on his sin (paap), and on the overwhelming wellspring of God’s mercy, which washes away each and every sin. Notably, just like the Pharisee, the tax collector is also very correct in his self-evaluation, for, he is undoubtedly a ‘sinner’ according to the moral standards of that time. By collecting all kinds of taxes and tolls from his own people, the Jews, lining his own pockets, and handing money over to the Roman government, he was betraying his people. Jews understandably hated tax collectors. Yet, his prayer, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” has the ring of true penitence and is a poignant plea for pardon. Here is someone totally dependent not on human merit but on God’s mercy and magnanimity. Jesus declares, “This man went home justified rather than the other” (v.14). 

Linking the Psalm and the 2nd Reading to the Theme:

In tune with the first reading, the responsorial psalm too is a wisdom psalm (34) with the response being: “This poor soul called; the Lord heard him” (v.6) wherein, from verses 11-22 the psalmist offers instructions very similar to the style of the wisdom teachers about the characteristics of the virtuous life. 
In the second reading taken from Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy, Paul laments: “All have deserted me” referring to the Roman Christians who did not stand by him in his trials. But, he asserts: “The Lord stood by me” and knows for sure that he will attain “the crown of righteousness.” Paul, like the tax collector, is aware of his own sinfulness and his wasted years as persecutor of the Church. However, in this kind of ‘farewell speech’ to his beloved disciple, Timothy, he says: “My life is being poured out as a libation.” His life is his prayer: a libation of love. 

A Text from Tradition St Gregory of Palamas (c. 1296-1357):

“Thanksgiving for the benefits received from God is made acceptable by humility and not looking down on those who lack them. It is rendered unacceptable, however, by being conceited, as if those benefits resulted from our own efforts and knowledge, and by condemning those who have not received them. The Pharisee’s behaviour and words prove he was afflicted with both these diseases. He went up to the Temple to give thanks, not to make supplication and, like a wretched fool, mingled conceit and condemnation of others with his thanksgiving.” 

Two Points for Reflection: 

1. Commenting on this parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, a Guru remarked, “This world contains two types of people: Pharisees and Publicans.” Confused, the disciple asked, “How does one recognize the Pharisees?” The Guru explained: “Simple! They’re always the ones who always do the classifying!” Which type am I? Am I one to classify and condemn, divide and judge? 

2. ‘How’ and ‘Why’ do I pray? My prayer ought neither to become a public platform for self-glorification nor condemnation of others, but ought to always remain a means for entering into relationship with God so as to worship, seek mercy, and decipher God’s will. Mercy and grace are, after all, free gifts of God. In his pride and pomposity, the Pharisee would probably tell God, “O God, I’m so pure and perfect that I don’t require your mercy. I can manage on my own. You better thank me for being so good!” 

In Lighter Vein:

A bishop once knelt before the altar and in a display of humility repeated loudly, “I’m a sinner, Lord, have mercy on me!” Inspired by his example, the parish priest too knelt beside the bishop and cried out, “I’m a sinner, have mercy on me, Lord!” Unable to restrain himself, the simple sacristan too fell on his knees and cried, “I’m a sinner have mercy on me!” Seeing this, the bishop nudged the priest and pointing to the sacristan said, “Look who thinks he’s a sinner!” Holier-than-thou attitudes are often hallmarks of seemingly holy people. [End]