From the Gospel according to Luke 18:9–14
Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous,
and treated others with contempt:
‘Two men went up into the Temple to pray,
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus:
“God, I thank you that I am not like other men,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers,
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,
and would not even lift up his eyes to heaven,
A righteous person is one who places his trust in God and lives to fulfil His will. But when we take our gaze away from Christ, we begin to place our trust in ourselves, and then it becomes very easy to fall into the temptation of thinking we are better than others. Pride then enters our hearts. Soon comparison, judgement and condemnation follow. This can also happen in our marriage. My spouse does not do this, or does that, or does something but in a different way from how I would do it, or does not pray as I think he should… I judge him in my heart and begin to feel better than him. The Lord warns us in this Gospel about the danger of apparent fulfilment: I comply, yet I lie. Our path is not about simply following a set of rules, but about sincerely seeking to do God’s will at every moment, what He wants from me here and now. With what intention do I do things? To appear good before others, or to please God? Spouses, let us take each other by the hand and ask Christ together to have mercy and compassion on us, and to show us the plan He has for our marriage.
Emily: Andrew, this afternoon I thought that if you were coming home late it was because you were not interested in helping with the children’s baths and dinner, and I started to think I was better than you because I am always here at home with them.
Andrew: I’m sorry, Emily, my love. I was finishing something at work and lost track of time. I didn’t even realise how late it had become.
Emily: But you know what? When I took it to prayer, I realised that in reality I was not doing things well either, because I was not doing them out of love, but simply because there was no other choice, because they had to be done. So I asked God for forgiveness, and I ask you to forgive me too, because I did not respond well to God’s love for me. And also because I judged you unfairly.
Andrew: No, you forgive me, because once again I failed in my priorities. I put my work before you and the children, when now I realise I could easily have come home earlier to help with the children and finished my work later. I did not place my heart where it should have been either.
Emily: From now on I will try to be more attentive to my heart, so that I may do everything out of love.
Andrew: And I will also try to be more attentive in loving you better, coming home earlier and sharing the responsibilities with you.
Emily: We are very weak, and we fall so easily. Let us ask the Holy Spirit for help. Without God’s grace we will not succeed.
Andrew: Yes, and let us ask Our Lady to intercede for us.
Mother,
Teach us and help us to remain attentive so that we may always wholeheartedly do the Father’s will, just as you did throughout your entire life. Blessed and glorious are you, Mother! Praised be the Lord forever!