This weekend’s Gospel tells of the parable of the two pray-ers. Those who know the mind of Jesus immediately recognise who the really worthy one in the story is. “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts him self will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18: 14).

I would like to think that we all see ourselves humble before God, and not as the Pharisee. We can say that this fellow is really full of himself and uses prayer to build up his ego while he puts others down. How many of us in our day not only put down others but refuse to love?

It is often when those closest to us react by keeping themselves away from us – because they find it hard to relate to us – that we may come to see our mistake.

In the reflections of David M Thomas, in his book Life as Sacred Journey, he states that, “Somewhat foolishly, our world praises those who accomplish great feats, especially if they do it alone. We teach our kids to be independent.

We praise them for every accomplishment, from their first steps to getting high grades, to securing that great job.” He goes on to state that we did it all by ourself and asks rhetorically “if really that is the case or is that we need God’s help?”

I was recently part of a prayer team in the Morvant parish. As the meeting started and I began to hear the prayers by the others, right away I felt that I shouldn’t be there. I knew that I was not worthy enough. I knew how sinful I had been.

But not long after, an amazing thing happened where my participation, my input was required. Although feeling unworthy, I had a significant and important role to play in the service of God and in the building up of his kingdom. It is God who calls.

In my feelings of unworthiness God saw it fit to use me to accomplish his work. May I always be open to the work of God in my life and know that without him I can accomplish nothing.

Today, as we continue along our Christian journey the challenge before us is to strive always, not only to be pure of heart, as the psalmist prays in Psalm 51, “Create in me a pure heart O Lord,” but to be secure in the knowledge that we are responding to Jesus’ call to repent of all our sins and to live a new life in his Spirit. The psalm calls us further, to be renewed with a “steadfast spirit”.

Like the tax collector, and as the psalmist pointed out in Psalm 51, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me”. The tax collector beat his breast saying “God, have mercy on me a sinner”. We, too, need to prostrate our self before God seeking his mercy for all our transgressions.

Let us always be conscious and mindful of the ways we sin against God, each other and ourselves. And see it as our duty to be always eager to mend, to restore, and to repair the effects of sin in our lives and in the world; to be confident not in our own righteousness, but in the fact that Jesus died and bought for us freedom from captivity to sin.

Gracious God, we thank you for our lives, our days and nights, give us courage to keep going, especially when life gets difficult. Lord, help us to recognise that in everything we need you. God of generosity and compassion help us realise your deep and unconditional love for all people. Amen. 

Gospel Meditations for the month of October are by Richard Gomez, a teacher at Sacred Heart Boys’ and a lay minister of the Cathedral/Sacred Heart parish.