Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr C 2025
Ordinary Time • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsIn our world and in our parable we see many mind reading others and judging them on the basis of it or of outward characteristics. Jesus’ commends the man who sticks to his own relationship with God and asks for mercy. Paul does an examination of conscience and thanks God for his mercy, only noticing others to pray for forgiveness for their failure to support Paul. We would do well to meditate on and copy these examples.
Notes
Transcript
Title
Title
Justice versus Mind Reading
Outline
Outline
One way to diffuse our own anxiety is mind or soul reading
One way to diffuse our own anxiety is mind or soul reading
We see another person do something or make a statement and we assume that we know what they are thinking, their motives, etc. Sometimes we “know their character” just because of their race, dress, or employment. In worse case scenarios we share our “insight” with others or even take action against the other based on our judgment. This is rampant in our society today as we learn from news accounts or from bishops’ statements.
The problem is that God is aware of our thoughts as well as our actions and he is a God of justice and truth whether one is rich or poor. And God acts according to that justice and truth.
Jesus puts this into a parable
Jesus puts this into a parable
Two are worshipping in the temple and at least one of them is only concerned with his inner concerns, his relationship with God. The other, knowing that he keeps the Pharisaic rules assiduously, is concerned about comparing himself favorably to others, and especially to the tax collector about whom he knows nothing. And he thanks God for his, in his own eyes, good qualities in comparison with others. That is one way of reminding God about how good you are without admitting that that is what you are doing. But he is “praying within himself,” not actually getting higher than his head. The other man realizes, as we do when we pray the Jesus Prayer or the Kyrie eleison, that he does not meet God’s standard and prays in posture and words for grace and mercy. And he is the one who went home justified by God.
Paul gives an example of focusing rightly in prayer
Paul gives an example of focusing rightly in prayer
He knows he is close to death. He has done a careful examination of conscience. He talks about what God will do, not just to him, but “to all who have longed for his appearance.” He does not exalt himself above others. He is aware of others and especially that his friends deserted him, an action, not mind reading, and he prays God will forgive them and then quickly moves on to what God had done in helping him and that he trusted in God. It is mostly about his relationship to God, with a brief pause to ask for forgiveness for others.
We will do well to meditate on these examples and ask for grace to live them
We will do well to meditate on these examples and ask for grace to live them
We live in a world in which many in the church congratulate themselves for how well they keep the rules versus those others. And we live in a world in which many are reading other people’s thoughts, diving what Pope Leo or Pope Francis really meant, usually to their own advantage.
Few are spending most of their time in their own heads and their own relationship with God and many are condemning others, especially on social media.
May we be those who do focus on our own concerns and anxieties and bring them to God and let the rest do what they may do, noticing them only enough to pray for their forgiveness as we already have prayed for our own.
Blessed be God who knows us impartially and yet loves to give us grace and forgiveness to the extent that we can receive it.
