Humility and prayer

In the Book of Sirach, we read that ‘…the prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord, he will not desist until the Most High visits him and does justice for the righteous and executes judgment…’ (cf. Sr 35:15b-17, 20-22b). This message becomes clearer in the parable about two men who went to pray, one a pharisee, the other a tax collector. Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt. The words of their prayer show the prideful arrogance of the Pharisee and the humility of the tax collector. Jesus says that ‘the Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner’. The tax collector, our Blessed Lord says, ‘went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted’ (cf. Lk 18:9-14).    

Beloved people of God, humility must go together with prayer. Humility is itself a prayer waiting patiently to be answered. It does not arrogate as to its prowess or expertise God’s great deeds and the achievement of his grace. Humility acknowledges that we are weak instruments and ultimately returns the glory of these great doings, to God.  

May we always remember that when ‘the lowly one calls, the Lord hears…that when the just one cries out, the Lord… rescues him in all his distress…The Lord is close to the broken hearted and that those whose spirit is crushed he will save… ’ (cf. Ps 34 (33: 2-3. 17:18. 19, 23) 

Fr. Ted