“But He gives greater grace, therefore He says God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6

Today in our gospel, Jesus tells a parable addressed to the people to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, “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.”

As you can see in the Pharisee’s prayer, it is an act of supplication of all the good he has done and of his faithfulness to his religious obligations. But all he did was just boasted about his good qualities before God and to show that he is much better unlike the rest, this kind of prayer is overbearing and self-righteous.

On the other hand, the tax collector just stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The tax collector who was judged as a sinner by many people, prayed humble before God. He acknowledged his own sinfulness. By humbly confessing his own sinfulness and shortcomings in front of God. The tax collector gained the mercy and forgiveness of God.

This parable of Jesus talks about us, when we compare ourselves with others we always find ourselves better and proud. We will always see what we have and what others lack. But when we look at ourselves and put side by side with Jesus the picture will change, we will find ourselves humble so we should not be self-righteous because all of us lack in many ways.

-Allyssa Althea Villas