Homily

I think it’s obvious that we should identify with one or the other of the two people in today’s parable. We are either more like the Publican or more like the Pharisee. Certainly, we don't identify with the Pharisee, who stands there boasting about his pious deeds and moral superiority, while he points his finger at a real sinner. While it may be true that there might be times when we are perhaps a little bit Pharisee-ish, still, we in general, reject that type of attitude, and we understand and agree that it is wrong. We do not want to see ourselves as the Pharisee. We are basically opposed to his attitude of pride and self-congratulation.

But do we then identify with the tax collector? He's the only choice left! I don't know that there are a whole lot of people who are willing to say, "Yes, he's just like me,” or "Yes, he's the one I wish to imitate.” As a tax-collector, the Publican was considered to be in a sinful job because he was working for the Romans. Every Pharisee would certainly consider that sinful work. But was the Publican some kind of great sinner? We don't know. We're not told how much of a sinner he is. We're not even told that he is any worse than the average man in Israel. And yet, there are not a whole lot of people who would identify with him or desire to be like him, and perhaps that is because we might think that we have to be a pretty big sinner to have such a need for mercy as we see in the Publican. We're not THAT bad!

So it seems, then, the obvious question is: How bad is "THAT” bad? How sinful do you have to be before you think you need to bow your head, strike your breast and say, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner?” Where is the line that marks the boundary between "not really a much of a sinner” and "needs to beg God's forgiveness?" If we have no real need for divine forgiveness, then we must know where that line is. Where is it? After 5 lies? After 4 angry, impatient acts? Do I cross the line if I neglect my prayers for 20 days, or cheat on my taxes two years in a row?

But I worry that too many people today think of themselves not as sinners, but decent people who may do wrong once in a while, but really, that doesn't even count hardly because it doesn't really amount to very much and lots of people are worse than me, especially tax collectors.

How do we fundamentally see ourselves as we stand before the Lord? As sinners, or as saints? It is important, because it affects our relationship with God and with other people. If we see ourselves as more saintly, not like those really terrible people out there who are such great sinners, then I suspect we don’t think we need to do very much more, or be very much more than we are right now. But if we see ourselves more as bona fide sinners, then we have to ask for pardon and look for opportunities to change our lives for the better with the help of God.

So many, many people today have no idea of what sin is because God does not have any place in their daily lives and so they do not even consider whether or not they are acting against God’s law when they do this or that. They don’t even consider if they are acting against reason, truth or right conscience, as the Catechism describes. People talk about the sharp divisions in our country today, but fail to see how they spring from our own sins.

In our time the talk is all about rights and personal freedom, but notice it is not about morality or moral behavior. Moral behavior must be defined by something greater than individual freedom and we understand that truly moral behavior is taught to us by Christ, even in today’s Gospel. We won’t hear the word “sin” being used in public discussion, or in the media or our entertainment. And in this kind of climate there is a danger for us not to see ourselves as genuine sinners.

When St. Paul writes that "Christ died to save sinners, of whom I am the first,” and when we repeat those words in the prayer before Communion, we ought to remind ourselves that we indeed need to be saved, and we need to be saved because we are sinners, and not so much the good and righteous people we would like to think we are. St. Paul does not believe that he is the worst of all sinners, but when he considers the list of sinners that he knows, he puts himself not as worst, but as the first in line. So should we, as our prayer teaches us. Recall the words of the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” How different that prayer becomes if we would say, instead, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a good person.”

Only sinners can beg for mercy. Only sinners will surrender themselves and bow their heads in repentance. Only sinners can be touched by the sacrificial love of Jesus. Only sinners who approach God in humility can be lifted up and exalted and be helped to live better lives. Only sinners can say with honesty, "O Lord, I believe and profess that you are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.... O God, be merciful to me a sinner. O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me. O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number