“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.’ But the tax collector 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.’” (LK 18: 10-13))

Those people “went up to pray.” One prayer was self-centered; the other was centered on God. One made an examination of conscience of “the rest of humanity” and “this tax collector.” The other did the same about himself—“be merciful to me a sinner.” We have a choice. We can be a gift of self or…

„If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Gospel Acclamation)

„I will heal their defection, says the LORD, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots.” (HOS 14: 5-7)

There is no other way for love—without freedom there is no love. With freedom naturally comes creativity and joy. We are looking for new ways to express our love; we are responsible for our relationships, and it is our concern to “turn away” any bad emotions. “I will be like the dew for you.”

„Repent, says the Lord; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

“Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, ‘By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.’ Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.” (LK 11: 14-16)

There are always “some of them” and “others” to contest, refuse, minimize or reject God’s work. Sometimes “some of them” and “others” are inside us, when we use our mistaken patterns of interpretation in our inner dialog to discredit or show in bad light our interlocutor. Our Lord’s universal “sign from heaven” is: “I am gracious and merciful” which in our world could be shown as a respect and gentleness. It always works.

“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.”

“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.” (DT 4: 9)

Between two sisters, Love and Faith, there is always little sister Hope. And the small one leads— without hope, love and faith will remain stagnant.. Hope keeps memory beautiful “as long as we live”; “the things which our own eyes have seen” remind us how much we are loved and how constantly Our Lord takes care of us.

“Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.” (DN 3: 41-43)

All of us need it desperately—God’s “kindness and great mercy.” In so many situations, we deal with a lack of kindness and mercy; we feel used and like tools for somebody’s goals. We know that in this relationship we are the most secure persons in the world.

“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 KGS 5: 14)

Simple strategy—“plunge into the Jordan seven times” and “your flesh becomes again like the flesh of a little child,” with one condition—“at the word of the man of God.” It is not water which heals but the “the word of the man of God”—“I trust in His word.”

“I hope in the LORD, I trust in his word; with him there is kindness and plenteous redemption.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink,  for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them,  and the rock was the Christ.” (1 COR 10: 4)

Rabbinic tradition amplified this into a spring that followed the Israelites throughout their migration. St. Paul applies this image to the Christ–“the rock was the Christ.” We can receive “the same spiritual food” and “the same spiritual drink” from Our Lord, who follows us and leads us to Heaven.

“Repent, says the Lord; the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? (MI 7: 18-19)

Clemency or mercy is another name for Our God, “who removes guilt and pardons sin,” “who does not persist in anger,” and who “will again have compassion on us.” Every day we can meet Our Lord in His Word, in the Eucharist and in the Sacraments, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance.

 “I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’” (MT 21: 36-37)

Again and again—God is never tired of looking for any occasion to tell us how important we are to Him and how much He loves us. “Finally, he sent his son to us” with the ultimate message—He loves us to the end. Even the end means—to die; “so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.”

“God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.” 

The “man who trusts in the Lord” is not only blessed, but also is a blessing for society. His neighbors will receive all needed help; his prayers will bring blessings for others, and his “generous heart” will support everybody in distress.

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)