My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Scriptures ask us a very challenging question: Who do we really believe we are before God?...
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Scriptures ask us a very challenging question: Who do we really believe we are before God? Are we the self-proclaimed hero, or the humble beggar? The answer to that question determines everything, especially in a world like ours, where the lines between good and evil, rich and poor, powerful and oppressed are often blurred.
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is brutally clear. The Pharisee stood proud, thanking God he wasn't like other people—especially that pathetic Tax Collector. But the Tax Collector stood far off, not even daring to look up, and cried out, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" And Jesus tells us: the Tax Collector went home justified. The self-righteous man did not.
This leads us to the three words that capture the heart of today’s readings: Humility, Honesty, and Hope.
1. Humility: The Filipino Challenge of 'Kanya-Kanya'
The root sin of the Pharisee is the opposite of Humility. It is the sin of looking down on others, of measuring your neighbor's faults against your own inflated virtues.
In the Philippines, we are a nation of deep faith, but we must face a hard truth: Does our faith lead to Humility, or to a dangerous sense of self-righteousness? We are quick to point out the corruption of politicians, the laziness of the poor, or the sins of those who don't share our views. We often fall into the trap of a 'kanya-kanya' (to each his own) mentality, forgetting that we are all on the same boat, all sinners in need of grace.
The Prophet Sirach tells us today: God "will not disregard the appeal of the fatherless, or the widow when she pours out her complaint." God does not look for titles, degrees, or bank accounts. He looks for a humble heart.
Challenging Question: When you pray, do you stand apart from your struggling neighbor, or do you stand with them, acknowledging that their plight is the result of our shared brokenness, and that your own justification is not earned, but given? Humility is recognizing you are no better than the very person you judge.
2. Honesty: The Price of 'Balik-Loob'
The Tax Collector's prayer was not eloquent; it was devastatingly Honest. It was a total admission of guilt: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Saint Paul, in the second reading, speaks with a similar honesty at the end of his life: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." He's not boasting; he's giving an honest account of the grace that sustained him.
In our own social context, the call to Honesty is a call to 'balik-loob'—a return to the heart. It means being honest about the social sins that plague our country: the dishonesty in our transactions, the 'palakasan' (patronage) culture that crushes the ordinary man, the way we enable corruption through silence or small compromises.
Challenging Question: How can we claim to follow Christ when our lives are built on dishonesty? You cannot be a 'justified' person in God’s eyes while remaining a dishonest citizen, a corrupt official, or an unforgiving neighbor. Honesty is the bridge between our flawed self and God's mercy. Like the Tax Collector, we must be honest enough to admit our personal and communal need for forgiveness.
3. Hope: The Anchor of the Oppressed
When we root our faith in Humility and Honesty, we unlock the gift of Hope. The Psalm assures us: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted; those who are crushed in spirit he saves."
For the poor, the marginalized, the victims of injustice in the Philippines—the 'widows and orphans' of Sirach—this message is their anchor. Their hope is not in the changing political tides or a corrupt system, but in the unshakeable truth that God is their champion.
For us who are blessed with more, our Hope is twofold: first, the hope of forgiveness because we humbly admit our failures; and second, the hope that by living a life of justice, we actively participate in God's work of lifting up the oppressed. Paul says the Lord will rescue him "from every evil threat and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom." This is our Hope—that our struggles, when offered with humility, lead to eternal life and a transformed world.
Challenging Question: Is your Hope passive—a mere wish—or is it active—a commitment to justice that challenges the status quo? The Christian faith is not about waiting for a reward; it’s about becoming the reward—a humble, honest instrument of God's love and justice for the world.
Brothers and sisters, let us leave this place today determined to imitate the Tax Collector, not the Pharisee. Let Humility be our posture, Honesty be our prayer, and Hope be our strength.
Because as the Gospel says: "all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." May we be the ones who humble ourselves, and in doing so, find our true place in the Kingdom of God. Amen.
Thank you for your wisdom! Your capacity to enter in the deep dynamic of the Gospel and connect with our reality today both personal and social. THANK YOU.
ردحذف