—Matthew 5 : 7
There is a story about a judge who visited a prison and talked with each of the inmates. According to the local custom, the judge was permitted to release one prisoner on Good Friday, the day the Lord died for our sins. He moved among the prisoners, and he heard endless tales of innocence, of misunderstood motives, and of exploitation.
Finally, the judge stopped at the cell of one inmate who said nothing.
“Well,” remarked the judge, “I suppose you are an innocent victim too?”
“No, sir, I’m not,” replied the man. “I’m guilty and await my punishment.”
Turning to the warden, the judge said, “Here, release this prisoner before he corrupts all these fine, innocent people in here!” Thus, the judge showed mercy on the man, not because he was innocent, but because he was humble and honest.
Our God is a merciful God. He wants to draw everyone to Himself. He will not spurn a contrite heart if only we admit that we have sinned, and we’re all sinners (1 John 1:8).
There’s a beautiful story in Luke’s’ gospel (Luke 18:9–14) about two people, a Pharisee and a tax collector, who approached the temple to pray, but with very different attitudes.
The Pharisee was self-righteous, believing he lived a perfect life, and was deserving of every blessing from God. The tax collector, on the other hand, knew he was a sinner, but trusted in God’s mercy.
A tax collector, in Jesus’ day, was generally regarded as a person of low repute. He worked for the pagan Romans, fraternized with them, and constantly handled their “unclean” money. As a result, he was believed to be in a state of ritual uncleanliness. As far as the religion of the day was concerned, tax collectors were public sinners on the highway to hell. But the tax collector in this story did not let that stand in his way. He put his trust, humbly and honestly, in the mercy of God.
The Pharisee, on the other hand, believed in a discriminating God who only loves good people and hates bad people. People tend to behave like the God they believe in. So, the Pharisee only loved people like himself and looked down on a public sinner like the tax collector.
The humble tax collector, however, trusted, not in himself or in anything he had done, but only in God’s mercy.
Thus he prayed: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
Humble and honest and to the point!
It was this humble and honest sinner who left the temple justified rather than the self-righteous Pharisee.
We should learn from this parable about the richness of God’s Mercy, and what we need to do to receive it.
Firstly, you need to acknowledge your sins, humbly and honestly, to receive God’s mercy. The generous mercy of God is greater than any sins you might have committed. This is something you need to believe firmly and take to heart. Don’t listen to the prophets of doom who tell you God is so angry with you that He cannot show you mercy.
Secondly, never look down on anyone if you wish to receive God’s Mercy yourself. Everybody is created in God’s image. He commands you to love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you (Luke 6:27–28). By doing this you show you are a child of God.
Finally, let this prayer of the humble and honest tax collector be your heart-felt prayer :
“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
—Fr. Hugh Duffy
2 Comments
Jimmy Nambiro
Fr. The challenge is how do we make God’s word known to all.I have a vision to plant 200 churches in Africa and have serve orphans through A cup of cold water children’s foundation international.
Can you partner with me.
Hugh Duffy
Jimmy:
God bless your. I’m already committed to working for Cross Catholic which works in about fifty countries worldwide, including Africa, providing homes, running water, food, schools and cooperatives. I’ve worked on missions in Haiti, for example. The harvest is great, and it takes many hands to make a difference. Perhaps, you should contact an organization like Cross or Samaritan’s Purse.