Homily Third Saturday of Lent (Lk. 18:9-14) “Thank Me or Thank God”
Homily Third Saturday of Lent (Lk. 18:9-14) “Thank Me or Thank God”
Someone once said that the Pharisee in this parable did not pray, but he offered a testimonial to himself. Comparisons can sometimes be helpful to those who are despairing. Sometimes when I am counseling with someone who is doubting their worthiness before God, I will point out the failures of the apostles in the Gospel. Peter, for example, denied Jesus to his face when he was challenged in the high priest’s courtyard as to whether he knew Jesus on Holy Thursday night.
When comparisons are used to justify oneself, they are not so helpful. Most of us can find someone who his doing a poorer job with their Christian walk than us. We then can take comfort that we are “not as bad.” If we take Jesus as our role model, we all fall short.
Without betraying any confidence, I would just observe as a confessor that there have been times when a person comes to celebrate reconciliation and they really don’t know why they have come. Perhaps they feel that they need to celebrate Reconciliation because the church says they should.
Their confession can turn into a litany of how they have been mistreated. Maybe they are critical of political figures or church leaders or family or a friend who has disappointed them. At the end of their sharing, I feel like saying, “Now that I know everyone else’s sins what about yours. We do not celebrate Reconciliation in order to justify ourselves we do so to ask for forgiveness.
Jesus is our savior. In order to be saved we need to recognize the need for it. If we have no regret over anything in our life, to me that is not realistic or noble. Sometimes people have “I Did it My Way” at their funerals. Wouldn’t it be better to say I did it Christ’s way?
Reflection Questions
- Is it a sign of weakness to apologize? Should leaders do this?
- How come we can see others sins easily, but have trouble seeing our own? If I realize that I am a forgiven sinner before I examine my conscience does that help me be more honest with myself?
Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday is Laetare Sunday. Laetare is a Latin word which means “praise.” We praise God because we are halfway through our Lenten penance. Yes, we are moving into the 4th week of Lent. If we are taking Lent seriously then we do feel like expressing of sigh of relief. If we are treating this holy time like any other time Laetare Sunday will pass like any other Sunday.
When we were children, perhaps, we gave up candy or soda for Lent. By the third week of lent we were craving what we had fasted from. Marking the halfway point of our penance might have strengthened our resolve.
Whenever we are involved in a difficult undertaking in our life, one that is lasting for days or weeks, if we can see an end point on the horizon we can usually endured. What do we constantly hear about the pandemic? We often hear there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We will not live like we are living right now, forever. One day we can give a friend a hug or share a meal without worrying about masks. Laetare Sunday might be a day to give thanks that our struggle with the virus is one day closer to being over.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark