Gospel for the Day with Pointers

Saturday, 29th March,2025

3rd Week of Lent, Saturday,

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being upright and despised everyone else, ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like everyone else, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” 

The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again justified; the other did not. For everyone who raises himself up will be humbled, but anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.’

• Jesus contrasts two types of praying: the Pharisee is self-righteous and full of self-praise; the tax collector, aware of God’s Love and Mercy stands at a distance and pleads humbly for His forgiveness. 
   
  
  
• How do we pray? Are our eyes fixed on God or on ourselves? Jesus makes clear that we should pray like the tax collector – with sincerity, humility and simplicity.
  
  
• In our prayers, remember to praise and thank God for His great love. When words fail us, just bring our contrite heart for Him to heal and fill with His love.