October 23, 2022, Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Today’s readings provide a lot of insight into the importance of humility if one desires to live a Christian lifestyle.

The first of these is found in the reading from the book of Sirach (Sir 35:12-14, 16-18), one of the less familiar wisdom writings of the Old Testament. This book was composed by a Jewish scribe named Yeshua [Jesus], son of Eleazar, son of Sira, sometime in the second century BC. Its title “Sirach” comes from the Greek form of the author’s name. Otherwise known as the Wisdom of Ben Sira, this book contains wise sayings of advice on multiple subjects. Some of these include the family, friendship, education, poverty and wealth, religious laws and worship, and many other matters that reflect the religious and social customs of the time.

The topic for today deals with the partiality that God shows toward the weak and the humble. Although Sirach states that the LORD is a God of justice who shows no favoritism, he does concede that God shows some bias toward those whose prayers come in the form of modesty and humility. It may be someone who is oppressed begging for fair treatment in a harsh society. Or it may be those who were considered to be second rate citizens in the Israelite culture of the day, like the orphan or the widow, both of whom retained no status in a male dominated patriarchal society.

Sirach reminds us that those who pray from the heart, who willingly accede the glory of God and rightfully worship Him with humility, have petitions which go straight to the LORD as if “piercing the clouds.” And the LORD responds justly, righteously, and without delay. It is not so much the status of the person who is petitioning the LORD that matters, but rather the meekness and humbleness of the posture and the attitude that they take and the words that they use in the process of praying.

We can see the contrast in the type of people that Sirach is writing about in the parable told by Jesus in the Gospel for today (Lk 18:9-14). Jesus addresses his parable “to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else” (Lk. 18:9). This would be those who possessed human pride and arrogance enough to lead to contempt and condescension toward others.

In this case it is the Pharisee who, in the days of Jesus, was the religious leader meant to depict the proper stance to take in the presence of the LORD in order to set a good example for the congregation. However, in this case, the Pharisee is failing in the example that he sets for others, so much so that Jesus compares him to a tax collector who, at the time, was considered to be a conceited, dishonest sinner in the affairs of his business dealings.

As the story goes, one of each, a Pharisee and a tax collector, go up to the Temple to pray. With the display that the Pharisee exhibits, he is doing everything but setting a good example for his followers. His words sound less like a prayer and more like a prideful resume of his spiritual life. He boasts aloud, but it does not sound like he is addressing the LORD. He compares himself to the rest of humanity and offers thanks that he is not greedy, dishonest, or adulterous like others. Rather he fasts twice a week and pays tithes on his entire income. What is contained in his list are a normal part of a Pharisee’s duties. But it is the boastful tone that he uses and his arrogant attitude that make him sound impudent and irreverent.

Now the tax collector, on the other hand, displays a timid stance in the presence of the Lord and genuine remorse for his actions. He stands at a respectful distance to the Temple, too meek to go any closer. He keeps his eyes lowered out of respect and makes only one request of the LORD, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” (Lk. 18:13). Jesus tells us that it is the humble tax collector who is justified before the LORD and the impious Pharisee who is condemned.

The important lesson for us to recognize is that one need not be poor or oppressed to be humble before the LORD. Rather, every Christian disciple regardless of income, status, career, or popularity must acknowledge his or her sinfulness and complete dependence on God’s mercy and forgiveness. For it is the graciousness of God that holds the key to our salvation.

As St. Paul reminds us, “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” (Phil. 2:5-9).