Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
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.’
(Luke 18:9–14)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- It is crucial to consider who the characters are in the parables of Jesus.
- Pharisees were deeply religious laymen who observed the law closely and who met together regularly for prayer and table fellowship.
- Tax collectors were despised because their jobs allowed them to cheat and defraud people, because they cooperated with the Roman oppressors and because their contact with the Gentiles made them ritually unclean. No wonder the tax collector in this text ‘stood some distance away’. The Pharisees would have believed that he had no right to be in the temple at all.
Exploring the Word
The purpose of this parable is to disturb the complacency of people who believe that following the rules of the law precisely is all they must do to guarantee salvation, regardless of their attitudes towards others or how they speak and act. The timeless parable in this text is as true today as it was in Jesus’ time. The Pharisee asks nothing of God; he is under the mistaken impression that he can fulfil all that is required of him through his own actions. He believes that adhering to the letter of the law is all that is required. Conversely, the tax collector is aware of his brokenness and opens himself to God, asking him for mercy. He rightly recognises his own sinfulness and sees that God is the only one who can fill the void within him. Again, as is common in the Gospel of Luke, it is the poor and the outcast who will be exalted. The Pharisee, who should know better, will ultimately be humbled and experience God’s dramatic reversal.
- How does this parable comfort or challenge you?
- With which character do you most identify?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- Are there times when you judge others or consider yourself ‘better’ than certain people?
- How difficult do you find recognising your own shortcomings?
- Do you find looking beyond the shortcomings of others challenging?
- Have you ever been in a situation in which you felt small or embarrassed by someone who exalted himself or herself at your expense? Have you ever ‘put someone down’ through your actions or words? Share your reflections.
- Notice occasions this week when you might find it easy to judge someone. Do something positive to favour someone to whom you may feel superior in some way.
- The tax collector’s humble prayer makes a suitable prayer for this week:
God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Last week was Mission Sunday. The universal Church celebrates this day, which is marked each year by a special statement issued by the Pope that encourages the mission of the Church in the world and the work of those who undertake this mission, especially in foreign cultures.
Read Pope Francis's statement to mark Mission Sunday this year on the Vatican website. You could offer copies to participants and use them to stimulate your discussion.
The Second Vatican Council included a decree for the Church’s missionary activity, Ad Gentes. The Church considers that all baptised people are engaged in this missionary activity of the Church.
- You could discuss how all people are called to be missionary—not necessarily in faraway places, but also in their own homes, workplaces and societies.
- You could explore some of Church’s missionary orders and work that they accomplish, such as through the Columban Fathers or Divine Word Missionaries.
- You could gather materials from organisations such as the Columban Mission, Catholic Mission or Melbourne Overseas Mission and discuss the missionary work that Australians perform.
- Discuss how the catechumens are called to perform this missionary mandate of the Church.
Symbols and images
This gospel asks us to consider what constitutes right worship. Is God impressed by words and outward show alone when the human heart is harbouring thoughts of hatred or vengeance? The parable in this text indicates that God is more impressed by our humility and recognition of our own need for healing.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- How is your community involved in the Church’s missionary activity? To whom does your community reach out?
- You could use a pair of sandals and a walking staff as a focus for prayer. Invite people to voice their own prayers of intercession for their needs and the needs of the world. Include all missionaries in your prayer in a special way today. Conclude with the prayer of blessing in the RCIA at §97E.