As I witness the hive minds buzzing all around me (MAGA, woke, free thinkers, etc., etc.), I am reminded of Luke 18:9-14.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
“The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
These days, of course, exalting oneself still happens all the time amongst “religious” leaders. But the rest of us also exalt ourselves when we take pride in not being like those “other people.”
We will be humbled if we choose to see ourselves as superior due to any of our earthly choices. But this mindset is much easier to reverse than you might imagine.
The shift begins with a meek, sincere desire to unite rather than divide.
Coda: The tax collector’s words in the above parable (“God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) feel like the origin of the “Jesus Prayer.”
This prayer can take many forms, but I prefer this:
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy.”
When you say Lord, you refer to God.
Jesus is Jesus, of course.
Christ = the Holy Spirit.
So, you are imploring the Holy Trinity to show mercy on, well… everyone. It’s a universal plea for mercy, forgiveness, and salvation.
These five words can be repeated like a mantra or chant. Whispering them to yourself in times of trial can be quite calming.
And, when you feel compelled to ask for mercy specifically for yourself, a slightly longer version is “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on a sinner like me.”
Let’s stay humble, my friends…
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When the storm of the pandemic had tattered my sails, and left me tired and bereft….unsure, desperate, exhausted and isolated….I found myself saying, I have nothing left to give or try…in my ongoing effort to right the ship or even stay afloat….
In that time of need (which is an ongoing state these days), what came to my mind was “I feel like there is nothing left to do but to say the Lord’s Prayer.” Give it to God.
Perhaps that realization was the most important one of mine during these difficult years….To humble oneself to the realization that we need faith, hope and charity to endure….And prayer is a plea to the divine to help us remain human and connected during the worst of times.
I try to pray regularly now to express my gratitude and ask for guidance and patience in these uncharted waters. As I saw stated in the comment section of another substack by an astute observer, “Give it to God, but keep rowing” the boat!
Once again, Mickey…thank you for the timely and heartfelt reminder of the importance of being present in spirit and love. God bless.
Hi Mickey, thanks for the reminder to always remain humble. No matter who we (think we) are or what (we think) we've achieved; for our own sakes, we should remain humble at all times. We are all fallen human beings, in need of salvation. None of us can save ourselves, only Lord Jesus can do that.