Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
In America, we have a saying, “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”
This saying encompasses our attitude that one will get ahead in life through education and a good hard day’s work.
In fact, for many immigrants who have come to the U.S., this has been true.
Those who came with nothing have gone on to be leaders in their communities, home and business owners, and have seen their children and grandchildren do very well.
This American way of life was the attitude of the Pharisee.
He not only followed the Law, but it intensified it.
He went ‘over and above.’ Yet, the Kingdom of God doesn’t work this way.
The Pharisee went home unjustified.
Scripture: Luke 18:10-14 (click here to read)
Bottom Line: It’s not what you do, but who you trust that counts.
Discussion Questions
- Sometimes, it’s easier to do something yourself (like the Pharisee) rather than trusting someone else to do it. Why do you think that is? How does this make it difficult to trust God?
- Repentance means to have a change of heart, to start living life in a new way. What do you need to repent of as we begin Lent? How will you have a change of heart?
- To trust God means to have a relationship with him. How’s your relationship with God? The Church offers a lot of ways to deepen your relationship. This Lent, what can you do to bring yourself closer to God? How will you do that?
Moving Forward
The tax-collector, unlike the Pharisee, did not embrace our American way of life.
Instead of working hard, he got ahead in society by taking advantage of others.
The Holy Land, in the first-century, was occupied by Roman forces. And, anyone working for the Romans, including our tax-collector, was a traitor.
In the eyes of the Judeans, the tax-collector had betrayed his own people and sold them out.
But, when this tax-collector came before God, he didn’t depend on what he’d done for justification.
Instead, he had a change of heart (repentance) and depended on God to make things right.
This is how the Kingdom works.
Through Christ, God reaches out to us and creates a communion of love. This, in turn, means that we find life by trusting God rather than work of our own hands.
This doesn’t mean we can continue to rip people off, as Roman tax-collectors often did, but it does mean our Christian walk starts with a relationship of love, one that begins when we recognize we’re sinners and need a change of heart.
Changing Your Mind
“I tell you, the latter rather than the former went down to his house vindicated; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)