Mercy and justification. Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jesus “he spoke this parable also to some who trusted in themselves because they considered themselves righteous and despised others.”. Our Lord speaks to us of pride, a sin that leads us to exaggerate our own worth and belittle others. The Pharisee was full of his own accomplishments, as he saw them. In fact, Christ gives us the detail that the Pharisee's prayer was really “to himself” and not to God. His pride manifests itself in three ways: in the exaltation of his own works (while being completely blind to his shortcomings, mainly pride, which is the worst sin of all); in contempt for others in general (“the other men”); and in the contempt for the particular man in his presence, in this case the tax collector.

The tax collector was wiser and went home to God, “justified”because he accepted his own weakness and unworthiness. But what does it mean “justified”? Justification is a key theme for St. Paul, especially in his letters to the Romans and to the Galatians. It has also become a topic of controversy between Catholics and Protestants. To be justified is to regain a right relationship with God, and this fundamentally requires grace and faith. As St. Paul writes: “For we hold that a man is justified by faith without works of the Law.” (Rom 3:28). Paul points out here precisely the error of the Pharisee: he thought that he could be justified, one with God, by his own works. But the tax collector, knowing how bad his works had been, trusts only in divine mercy.

We will never be able to offer God any work worthy of Him. Still less can we earn our own salvation. We can learn this lesson in two ways: like the repentant publican, through a deep awareness of our sins; or like children who, though totally innocent, understand that they must depend on their parents for everything and that they can do nothing to “deserve” their attention. This is why our Lord insists so much that we must be like children.

And that is why true prayer should always be an appeal to God for mercy and never an attempt to convince him of our own virtue. Even our good works are gifts of grace that God inspires us to perform. As St. Teresa of Calcutta once said: “We are always too poor to help the poor! Think about it: I am just a poor woman who prays. When I pray, God puts his love in my heart and only then can I love the poor, because I pray!”.