THIRTIETH LESSON
The Pharisee and The Publican.
ST. LUKE 18:9-14.
In the Gospel, our Lord contrasts the proud, vain-glorious prayer of the Pharisee with the humble, contrite petition of the publican.
And He declares that "this man," that is, the publican, whatever might have been his former sins, "went down to his house, justified rather than the other," notwithstanding all the deeds the Pharisee boasted of having done. Why was this? Our Lord Himself tells us: "Because every one who exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."
And He declares that "this man," that is, the publican, whatever might have been his former sins, "went down to his house, justified rather than the other," notwithstanding all the deeds the Pharisee boasted of having done. Why was this? Our Lord Himself tells us: "Because every one who exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."Let us see what kind of prayer the Pharisee put up to God. It was rather a boast than a prayer. "O God, I give Thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men." If he had stopped at the first part, giving God thanks for having escaped every sin he had really escaped, it might have been a good act of devotion. Saints and devout souls always remember, that if they have escaped any sins, it has been by the grace of God, and that they are bound to give Him thanks for it. But the after part of the Pharisee's prayer spoilt all; for he goes on to compare himself favorably with others; he "was not as the rest of men." So we see, there is a proud thanksgiving, and a humble thanksgiving. A holy man once heard a noise in the street; and looking out at his window, he saw a malefactor being dragged to execution with a rope round his neck. "There," he said, "go I, but for the grace of God." He felt, that if God, the Author of all grace and goodness, withdrew that grace from him, he might become the worst of men. And so ought we to know this, too; it is a knowledge to keep us very humble, and very careful to preserve ourselves in a state of grace.
The Pharisee was also guilty of rashly judging his neighbor. I am not a sinner, said he, as this publican is. How did he know anything about him? Even if he knew him for a sinner when he came into the Temple to pray, he knew nothing of the working of Divine grace in his soul while the publican prayed so humbly. Nor do we know in what state Almighty God sees this soul, or the other soul, to be. We see one another, as a child might see the dial-plate of a clock, and know little of what is working within. Some clocks that seem highly finished, may be very near stopping, through some hidden fault in the works. Others, with less show outside, may be found up to time at last. There may be hidden Saints whom we are in the way of ignoring, if not despising them: for they who love God most, and serve Him best, are the most careful to conceal their love and service from observation. "Therefore," St. Paul says, "judge not before the time; until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise from God." Every one who has really loved, and therefore served Him, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, shall then have praise from Himself, whose praise will then be: "Come, ye blessed of My Father."
Our Divine Lord finishes this parable by laying a broad foundation truth belonging to His Gospel. "Every one who exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he who humbleth himself, shall be exalted." This was unknown to the world before He came, with the teaching on His lips: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." The reason of this truth is plain. "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." Now, to have God against us, means, to be left to ourselves; and to be left to ourselves, means, to fall into sin. On the contrary, to be humble, means, to pray for grace; and to pray for grace means, to receive it. Therefore, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." If we may always have confidence, "that, whatsoever we shall ask according to His will, He heareth us," then especially may we be sure, when we ask for the grace to be kept in His love and service, and to increase in them. Let us always ask, like the publican, who felt himself unworthy to be heard: "God be merciful to me, a sinner." Our Lord will then smile on our petition. We shall go down to our house, justified rather than the self-confident Pharisee. We shall be more secure of receiving further grace, and more hopeful of being enabled to persevere in grace to the end.
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