Thirtieth Sunday Integral 2025
The deuterocanonical book of Sirach, a late work in Hebrew that survived only in Gk, is kind of a long reflection on the entire OT. It was used by the Church to help new barbarian members understand the moral law and the road to virtuous living so much that it was called “Ecclesiasticus,” or the Church’s book. We can see a lot of its moral teaching in the short first reading today. “The Lord . . .knows no favorites” sounds like Torah, and it is a foundation of the principal of American life summarized by “the law applies equally to everyone.” The Lord is certainly not deaf to the widow’s and orphan’s cry, and that echoes often in both Testaments. The challenge is to make sure that you and I are helpful to those who are left destitute by the death or disability of a wage earner. Our psalm is attributed to King David himself, when he was in trouble. Over and over in David’s life he was in distress, cried out to God, and was heard and rescued.
Saint Paul wrote two letters to bishop Timothy in Ephesus, far from Rome in Asia Minor. The second letter seems to have been written when Paul was in Roman prison, tried before Emperor Nero, and sentenced to death. He is being “poured out like a libation,” a sacrifice on God’s altar. All his compatriots have deserted him; he is like an older orphan in that way. He forgave them all, but in this extremity makes a great analogy: life is a race. Paul has crossed the finish line, but when the Roman executioner lops off his head, it will receive the crown of righteousness, not from Nero, but from the Resurrected Lord Jesus Himself. This is how “the Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.” All of us must understand in this season of completions that this earthly body is willed by God to end its days, but with our soul is destined to rise from the dead and give glory to Our Lord forever.
Our Gospel from St. Luke is the only place in the NT where we can find this parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, or tax-collector. Both go up to the Temple to pray. The Pharisee is one of the “separated ones,” who studied and followed Torah to the letter, even as laymen following the stricter commands given to the priests. But this fellow may get the letter of the law, but not so much the spirit. Note that he stands proudly and prays “to himself.” He just recites all the wonderful things he does, and compares himself favorably to everyone else, especially outcasts like the tax collector in the back of the room.
The tax collector, rejected by proper Jewish society, purposely stands in the rear. He knows he is a sinner, and he speaks to God with a prayer we should always feel like using: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” He knows what’s wrong with the world, and so should we. Like Chesterton he says, “I am what’s wrong with the world. I am a sinner.” But he also knows, as we should know, that God is all merciful, and will not only forgive us, but justify us, even sanctify us, if we are willing to turn around and follow Him.
There is a long tradition in the Church, particularly in the Eastern churches, of changing the publican’s prayer slightly to introduce the means of God’s tender mercy for us. Remember that God loved the world so much that He gave His only-begotten Son, Jesus, who descended all the way to a slave’s death for the application of His mercy. Here is the prayer, and please repeat it after me: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (2x) Alleluia!
