3rd Week of Lent
O God, be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13)
The Pharisee in today’s Gospel reading was harboring two illusions: one, that he had no sin and, the other, that his religious acts alone earned him God’s favor. Here was a man who trusted in himself quite a bit—even to the point of praying “to himself” (Luke 18:11).
On the other end of the spectrum was the tax collector. This fellow had no illusions about himself. He knew that he didn’t measure up. He didn’t claim to be holy. He realized how needy he was, and so he pleaded with God, “Be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). What was lacking in the Pharisee’s prayer—humility, recognition of his need, and repentance—made up the whole of the tax collector’s plea.
From its earliest days, the Church has made the tax collector’s prayer its own. In the Penitential Rite at Mass, we pray, “Kyrie eleison! Lord, have mercy!” All across the world, Christians of various traditions invoke the name of the Lord and, with a humble and contrite heart, call upon him for mercy in the “Jesus Prayer.”
This prayer—expressed most commonly as “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”—is a perfect profession of faith, for it sums up the essentials of what we know and believe about the Lord. In these few simple words, we confess our sinfulness, cry out for God’s mercy, and open ourselves to his forgiveness. According to the Catechism, this prayer is so powerful that “by it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior’s mercy” (CCC, 2667).
Try praying the Jesus Prayer frequently as you go about your day—while you’re driving, doing household chores, taking a quiet pause in the day, jogging—whenever it comes to mind. Let the words of this prayer sink deep into your heart and remind you that the Lord is always ready to show you mercy and forgiveness. Let it teach you the same humility, trust, and openness that this tax collector knew. Then, like him, you too can go “home” to heaven “justified” (Luke 18:14).
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
Hosea 6:1-6; Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21
Daily Marriage Tip for March 29, 2014:
Marriage is easier if both of you are of the same faith and relatively equal devoutness. Still, inter-religious couples sometimes are pulled into deeper understanding of their faith when explaining it to their beloved and learning about another religion. Praying at home is often unifying.