The Prayer Of The Humble Pierces The Clouds

Thirtieth Sunday in Course 2022

It’s helpful for us, two thousand years since the events, to consider some background on this story, this parable, of Jesus about the Pharisee and the tax-collector, sometimes called the “publican.” The word “Pharisee” comes directly from the Greek. It means “separated one,” and that truly describes this class of Jew. They held themselves to all six-hundred precepts of Torah, even the ones that earlier Judaism prescribed only for the priests. That meant they had separate meetings, separate kitchens for meat and dairy products, and they considered themselves separate from and better than the other Jews, but particularly from the sinners who broke the ten commandments.

So, with that background, his prayer makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? It’s particularly striking in the original Greek that Christian congregations would hear in St. Luke’s day. The Pharisee doesn’t begin by thanking God for what God had done, or for what the man was as a faithful Jew. No. He says “from himself,” but probably out loud: “God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” And when he rattled off the list of sinners, the language even sounds like he’s spitting the words: harpages, adikoi, moichoi. And then he brags about fasting twice a week and paying his tithes to the Temple. As Jesus judged in another place, folks who contrast their behavior with that of “lesser men” are doing everything for show. They want to be seen as good without being good. They do holy things without becoming holy.

The publican, in contrast, stands far off, probably against the wall of the temple court. He sees himself as he really is, like the rest of us are. He’s a sinner. He has not risen to the state God wants him to attain, and probably not just because he extorted taxes from the people. He beats his breast, as we do when we confess our sins every week here, and pleads with God for mercy. That is the proper attitude for prayer. The publican went home justified, and the Pharisee went home in the same state he had when arriving at the Temple. Jesus even tells us what to conclude from the story: puff yourself up and you’ll get pulled down. Be realistic about your condition, and God will raise you up.

St. Paul is a good example of that kind of attitude. Today we heard from the last letter he wrote to bishop Timothy back in Ephesus. Paul had started his religious career badly–he was the same kind of self-righteous Pharisee as the one in Christ’s parable. He had even been authorized to capture and imprison Christians all over Judea for execution. But he encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road and turned himself into the image of the tax collector. Jesus forgave him and empowered him for a multi-decade mission to both Jews and Gentiles. With his helpers, Paul converted the greater part of the Roman world. He knew he was about to be executed for the Faith and looks forward to his own Passover, his going to receive his crown of righteousness. He could have that kind of confidence because of his faith and his participation in the sacramental mysteries of Christ. Although nobody had stood up for him at his trial, he forgave all his fellow workers because he had relied on Christ’s promise of the Holy Ghost to give him the words to say.

Paul had prayed all his life, as we should. “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.” God always hears our prayers, and gives us what we need. Sometimes He rewards our prayer with something physical, but always with His spiritual gifts. Let’s take that confidence with us as we meet others and share with them our praise of God, which should always be in our mouths.