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The Publican and the Pharisee, OCALA 2/20/2005 Today's Gospel Lesson is the first of the three Lessons, which essentially become the introduction to the Great Lenten Period, which commences in three weeks. We heard from the Holy Gospel today the very well known Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. This Parable of the Lord, as short as it is, brings forth a powerful lesson --- not only to prepare us for the great Lenten Period, but to help make us morally strong, so that we may be able to cope with all the expressions of life. The Parable presents to us a most detested passion, and indeed a great evil, which has always plagued society, and from which we should guard against in every way. This evil is sinful pride, which affects many Christians. Conversely, the Gospel Lesson of the Publican and the Pharisee presents us with the unlimited blessings of the glorious virtue of humility, which every Christian should strive to espouse. The scene for the Parable, is a Temple, where two men went to pray. The one, with unabated pride, proceeds arrogantly and without shame before the altar. Ostentatiously he extends his arms upwardly, and commences to inform God of his moral greatness and supremacy. Firstly he thanked God, that he was not like the rest of the people, who were thieves, --- unjust ---- extortioners and adulterers. Nor was he like that great sinner the Publican, toward whom he pointed his finger. The Publican, sensing fully his unworthiness, stood quietly in a remote corner of the Temple, with his head bowed and pounding his chest, he repeated over and over: "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." After pointing his finger at the Publican, the Pharisee continues to inform God, that he fasted twice weekly, and that he was very faithful in giving his tithe, that is 10% of his income to charity. In this manner, the Pharisee set himself apart from the supposed frailty of all other humans, and presented himself as the epitome and prototype of human perfection. He had convinced himself, that he was the epitome of justice and virtue, --- and without question, incomparably superior to all others, who were sinners. In this manner, he went through the routine of the religious externals, -- but without any depth, or warmth in his heart He boasted that he gave 10% of his income to charity, but without a doubt, his declaration was mainly for the purpose of being lauded for his great benefactions. His inflated pride was an obsession. One, that deluded him to believe, that he had no equal. His open confession in the Temple, of his self-imagined moral greatness, was a revelation of the true content of his soul,--- a content that was so very remote from any religious virtue, or significance. Thus, it is elementary to conclude, that through his open confession, the Pharisee was self-condemned, as a result of his egotistical pride and his arrogance. Would you not agree with me, that to a great or lesser degree we see many Pharisees in our society today, who also pride themselves as being good Christians. Filled with false pride, they place themselves above all people and find themselves superior in every way. The other man in the Temple, praying humbly in a corner while pounding his chest was repetitiously begging for God's forgiveness. He was a Publican. A tax collector, appointed by the Roman authorities, and surely despised by his fellow Hebrews because of the abuse they suffered under the Publicans. But, this particular Publican, was completely subdued by the deafening voice of his conscience, which shook him horribly; his saturated guilt-ridden life, brought him to fully recognize his sinful life, and admit, that his soul was nothing but a spiritually sterile wasteland. Having come to a complete realization, that he had put his conscience to sleep, he suddenly awoke, and took the firm decision to come to the Temple, to fully confess his sins, and to express his total dependence on God's mercy. Disregarding what people who knew him would think, he had bowed his head, because he felt so unworthy to even lift up his head and turn his eyes upwardly to pray. Over and over he pounded his chest, and kept repeating: "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." Conversely to the Pharisee, the Publican presented himself to God as that, which he truly believed;--- that he was the most unworthy of humans in the sight of God! He did not revert to comparisons, as so many Christians do, and say: "Lord, I am a sinner, but I am not as bad as some other people I know." He did that, which was proper. To speak for himself, because no one can ever be the judge of the other. The Publican knew from the Psalms of David, and really believed, as David wrote, that "God would not despise a broken and contrite heart!" He also must have been aware of the wisdom of Seirach, who said: "The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself, and only then, shall you find grace before the Lord!" The Pharisee, as a member of the elite Hebrews knew very well the teachings of the Scriptures, but his arrogance and vain-pride for him took precedence. This fact is not uncommon even among professing Christians. So it was, that after mentioning the manner, in which these two men went into the Temple to pray, the Lord Jesus stated that the Publican went down to his house justified, rather than the Pharisee. Then the Lord concluded His teaching by saying epigrammatically: "He who exalts himself shall be abased, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted!" Catastrophic pride, of the Pharisaic type, is nothing short of when self-conceit. So often, hear people refer to sin, it is almost always centered on the sins of the flesh. People seem to dismiss totally, the great evil of vain pride, which is the doorway, that leads to so many other vices. Vain pride is nothing less than a complete anti-God state of mind. Vain pride is idolatrous; it is self worship. Arrogance is its priest; super-ego is its altar. Greed is its sacrifice and flatter its ritual. Vain pride totally blemishes the character, and leaves the soul destitute, famished, and surely untouched by spiritual truth. The vainly proud person, standing alone in his self-imagined greatness, lives in self-deception. Having declared himself righteous, he lives beyond the world of reality, because, the real truth about himself, would indeed puncture and totally deflate his self-inflated ego. However, the exact opposite applies to humility. Humility is the virtue, which regulates a man's estimation of self. Humility, most assuredly is NOT, as some would think, the under estimating of one's self. Humility is truth. The truth to see ourselves as we really are. Not as we think we are; not as the public thinks we are, or as perhaps the press notices may tend to describe us. The humble person is not cast down by the censures, or slights of others. If one has given occasion to be censured, he or she is not offended, but humbly accepts the censure and seeks to mend his, or her faults. If one doesn't deserve to be censured, and is, -- he or she magnanimously dismisses the situation as trifle. The humble person is by far a superior, and truly disciplined human being, -- a veritable Christian. Humility is an armor, which protects one from placing an extravagant value on distinctions or honors, for which so many people struggle, and for which sometimes people even compromise their conscience. The humble person glorifies and thanks God for any talents, and credits God as the Giver of any gifts one possesses. The humble person receives and accepts praise, just as the window-pane receives light. The humble person, even in a high position, hires no press agents -- blows no trumpets -- unfolds no banners, and courts no adulation; -rather, while seeking to aid and enlightening others, the humble person is like the Angels, who, while ministering to people, they themselves are unseen. That is why our Lord emphasized, that all people, regardless of their station in life, or their intellectual superiority, will have to become innocent, like little children, in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; It is no surprise that the Lord emphasized: "He who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Do you know the prime example of humility? It is the Lord's act, shortly before His Passion, when he washed the feet of his Apostles! Through this unexpected _expression, the Lord wanted to teach humility. Our Church hymnology is laden with instructions for Christian living, One of the hymns of the Orthros or Matins today, I bring to you in translation from the Greek: "Let us guard against the boastful pride of the Pharisee; and let us emulate the humility of the Publican in true reverence. Let us not be exalted in our own thoughts, but rather, let us humble ourselves, and with contrition pray: 'O Lord, You, who did suffer for our sakes, grant us forgiveness through your great mercy. " return to sermons |
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