Two people went up to the temple area to pray

“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)