There was a story told about a woman was quite stern and humorless. One day, she was not feeling well, so she made an appointment with a local physician. The physician began to ask her questions: “Do you drink at all, or do you use any tobacco?” She says: “I never touch any of those things!” But her reply was with great contempt and disdain. She felt rudely insulted by the doctor's questions. The doctor continued his query: “What about your sleeping habits? Are you able to get enough rest?” She proudly replied: “I go to bed early every night. I have no time for late-night partying or carousing. I am a very busy woman. I am in bed by 8, and up by 5am.” So the doctor said: “So what seems to be your problem?" The woman replied: "I've been having these terrible headaches.” The doctor said: “I see your problem, your halo is too tight.”
In today's parable, the Pharisee has that problem. His halo was too tight. Note his prideful demeanor when he prays: “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity –greedy, dishonest, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.”
Christ is not to putting people down for doing good, or applauding people who are not abiding to the commandments.
But Christ sternly warns us how pride can be dangerous for the soul, or having our halos on too tight. A person with pride looks down upon others with disdain and contempt. That is how the Pharisee treated the tax-collector. On the other hand, the tax-collector humbly seeks forgiveness in his prayer. Humility helps the soul to pray better.
Christ pointed out that the Pharisee wasn't actually praying to God. He was just talking to himself. He was boasting publicly about his own accomplishments. On the other hand, the Tax Collector, humbly beats his breast, and prays: “O God be merciful to me a sinner.” Christ says: “I've come, not to call the righteous, but sinners.” In other words, if the soul does not keep humility by its side, there is no room for God. Christ says: “Those who are well do not need a physician. Those who are prideful have no room for Christ.
So pride is dangerous for the soul. Why is that? Because it makes the soul feel superior to others. Just like the Pharisee who saw himself better than the tax-collector. The superior soul has no room for grace because it is already thinks that it is sufficient in grace.
Why is pride dangerous for the soul? Because it makes the soul complacent in spiritual matters. A prideful soul doesn't want to improve or get better. It doesn't want to learn more about the spiritual mysteries. It is blind to the need for spiritual growth. I remembered awhile back when I was a Seminarian, assisting a priest at a summer assignment. Every friday night, instead of going out with friends, he was at home praying and reading spiritual books. The priest was constantly immersing himself in the spiritual life. Although he was mature in age, and had vast spiritual knowledge, but his motto is: “The more I know, the more I realize that I don't know.” For me, that was a humbling experience. This priest was thirsting for spiritual knowledge.
Why else is pride dangerous for the soul? Pride is dangerous to the soul because it prevents us from the need to pray for others. The Pharisee didn't once pray for the tax-collector. He didn't pray for his fellow man. Instead, he looked upon tax-collector, as an inferior, and not as his equal. In the presentation of Faustina, the Messenger of Divine Mercy, one of the ways that can motivate us to pray for others is to hear the people in purgatory begging for our prayers. “Pray for us, Pray for us.” That is why we offer Mass, and pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet for souls in purgatory. Some people say that there is no purgatory. But if there is no purgatory, then there are no consequences to our actions. But there are always consequences to our actions in this world and in the next. God is a just God, and doesn't allow just anyone to enter into heaven, unless they have been purified. St. Faustina shared that Christ currently presents himself as merciful savior especially to all who seek his divine mercy. But at the parousia, or at his return, Christ will present himself as the just judge.
Pride is dangerous for the soul because one can lose hope. For the pharisee, the tax-collector will be an eternal sinner. There was no hope for redemption. But it is not so for God. God hears the cry of this poor sinner. God, as presented by St. Luke Gospel, is like the Father that patiently waits for his prodigal son to return home. God is like the shepherd that leaves the 99 and searches for the lost sheep. God is like the woman that searches the entire house for her lost coin. God hears the cry of the tax-collector. Christ says: “The Latter went home justified, not the former.”
Pride is supremely detrimental to the soul's health. But humility is the necessary fertilizer for the soul. Try not to have your halos on too tight. See how pride can endanger the soul. Embrace humility, by recogizing the soul's need for God, and the need to pray for others. God loves you!
So pride is dangerous for the soul. Why is that? Because it makes the soul feel superior to others. Just like the Pharisee who saw himself better than the tax-collector. The superior soul has no room for grace because it is already thinks that it is sufficient in grace.
Why is pride dangerous for the soul? Because it makes the soul complacent in spiritual matters. A prideful soul doesn't want to improve or get better. It doesn't want to learn more about the spiritual mysteries. It is blind to the need for spiritual growth. I remembered awhile back when I was a Seminarian, assisting a priest at a summer assignment. Every friday night, instead of going out with friends, he was at home praying and reading spiritual books. The priest was constantly immersing himself in the spiritual life. Although he was mature in age, and had vast spiritual knowledge, but his motto is: “The more I know, the more I realize that I don't know.” For me, that was a humbling experience. This priest was thirsting for spiritual knowledge.
Why else is pride dangerous for the soul? Pride is dangerous to the soul because it prevents us from the need to pray for others. The Pharisee didn't once pray for the tax-collector. He didn't pray for his fellow man. Instead, he looked upon tax-collector, as an inferior, and not as his equal. In the presentation of Faustina, the Messenger of Divine Mercy, one of the ways that can motivate us to pray for others is to hear the people in purgatory begging for our prayers. “Pray for us, Pray for us.” That is why we offer Mass, and pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet for souls in purgatory. Some people say that there is no purgatory. But if there is no purgatory, then there are no consequences to our actions. But there are always consequences to our actions in this world and in the next. God is a just God, and doesn't allow just anyone to enter into heaven, unless they have been purified. St. Faustina shared that Christ currently presents himself as merciful savior especially to all who seek his divine mercy. But at the parousia, or at his return, Christ will present himself as the just judge.
Pride is dangerous for the soul because one can lose hope. For the pharisee, the tax-collector will be an eternal sinner. There was no hope for redemption. But it is not so for God. God hears the cry of this poor sinner. God, as presented by St. Luke Gospel, is like the Father that patiently waits for his prodigal son to return home. God is like the shepherd that leaves the 99 and searches for the lost sheep. God is like the woman that searches the entire house for her lost coin. God hears the cry of the tax-collector. Christ says: “The Latter went home justified, not the former.”
Pride is supremely detrimental to the soul's health. But humility is the necessary fertilizer for the soul. Try not to have your halos on too tight. See how pride can endanger the soul. Embrace humility, by recogizing the soul's need for God, and the need to pray for others. God loves you!
No comments:
Post a Comment