Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 12th, 2018

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, August 12th, 2018

In the Eighteenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, we hear the story of what is known commonly as the "Publican and the Pharisee."  Now before I go any further I want to point out something that should be of great importance here.  Before he begins telling us the story that Our Lord told, St. Luke tells us to whom Our Lord told this story:  "JESUS spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." (St. Luke 18:9)  It is the second part of this statement that really struck me as I was meditating on it:  " . . . and despised others."  Actually, the more I think about it the first part of the above verse really strikes home as well:  "Jesus spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, . . . . "  In other words, Our Lord is speaking to those who were "self-righteous."  Actually, when you think about this verse, Our Lord could have been speaking about our generation today, in my humble opinion.  We seem to have a whole bunch of "self-righteous" folks running around.  You can't turn on the nightly news . . or look at a news program . . .  or get on the internet . . . without having to see and hear someone who believes that their position is the only valid one and how the "other" side is corrupt, crooked, abusive, etc.  Do we despise others?  Do we hold others in contempt simply because they do not "think like us" or "agree with us" or "hold the same position as us?"  Do we despise others because they are "different" from us?  "Different" could mean anything from having a different gender .. .  or a different race . . .  a different nationality.  How about if that person has a different political persuasion.  What if that person lives in a different part of town . . . or a state . . . or a different country?  

Do we despise someone for something that they have absolutely no control over . . . . such as their race or what country they were born in?  Do we despise someone simply because they do not agree with what we believe?  I haven't actually even began discussing yet the actual parable itself because I am struck by what St. Luke wrote to whom Our Lord was addressing the parable:  ". . . unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others."  Are we so sure of ourselves?  If so, why?  Is it because someone told us to believe that way?  Is it because we have always believed that way?  Is it because it is "cool" to believe that way now?  We should try to base our beliefs on what God teaches us.  What God would have us believe.   So much of our society in which we live today base what they believe on what they are told to believe:  by the news media, . . .  by politicians,  . . .  by the media.  And none of these things is necessarily wrong but we always have to put everything in perspective of what God believes and what God thinks is important.

And even if we do believe correctly, when do we have a right to despise someone else?  The Pharisees certainly believed correctly when it came to the Law.  The Pharisees were proud of their strict observance of the Law.  They did everything in their power to keep the laws and observe the laws.  And yet they despised people that did not "keep the law."  These people were beneath them.  Again, do we despise someone that is beneath us?  Are we ever like the Pharisees?  Do we have a right to despise someone else simply because they are . . .  well, different?    It seems to me that God sent His Son into the world to save all of us from our sins:  Pharisees . . . Publicans . . . Republicans . . . Democrats . . . . Rich  . . . Poor . . . Progressive  . . .  Conservative . . . . We could go on and on and on.  But the point remains that Our Lord died on the Cross for all people everywhere.  He opened the door to salvation and offered it freely to all by dying on the Cross for us.  Even from the Cross as He was dying, Our Lord prayed for those who were against Him:  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (St. Luke 23:34)   

St. Margaret Church gathers together every Sunday morning and we would love for you to join us in our weekly worship of Our Heavenly Father. Mass begins at 9:30 AM. We celebrate Mass in the Chapel of Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road in Indianapolis, Indiana. Please choose to take some time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time with God.