Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction.

Mother Teresa is often quoted as saying “give until it hurts”.

I think she is calling us all out of our comfort zones when it comes to giving of our time, talents and treasure.

She once gave a sack of rice to a very poor woman and noticed the woman was dividing the rice to give to poorer families.

A deeper sense of what “give until it hurts” is keep on giving especially when hurting like that woman!

Why?

Because it begins our healing of the human race.

Who among us today has not yet experienced some sort of hurt and suffering, be spiritually, emotionally, physically, or financially.

Body

In our Gospel today We have a Pharisee in his comfort zone, and a hurting Tax collector.

They both have come to the temple to pray.

The Pharisee, note, takes his position, and start praying note, to himself, he is patting himself on the back, he is feeling good about himself, (O God I thank you that I’m not like the rest of humanity and that Tax collector, not greedy, not dishonest, not an adulterer, I fast twice a week and pay tithes of my whole income, not take home after Taxes) pretty impressive resume.

But God is not impressed.

He had probably worked hard for many years feeling not so good until he got himself to this position.

We must be very careful not to fall into this very deceptive trap of self-gratification in the name of religious piety and service to God.

It’s a two way trap alright, if you fall in it, it will either make you look down on others, or makes you feel inadequate and lacking comparing yourself to others while you are working hard to reach you own comfort zones!

It a two way trap alright!

Watch out.

How do you get out of it?

Tax collector in those days were financially well off, but people hated them because they worked for the Romans, from the sound of this one he probably pitches in a good some of money to the treasury, but is still standing at a position of humility hurting and praying 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner” Jesus says the Tax collector went home justified, the Pharisee didn’t trapped feeling good about himself.

The way out of this trap starts with is humility ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner”

Conclusion.

Jesus gave until it stopped hurting on the Cross.

Is there spiritual pain there today?

start with going to confession and give more time to prayer, talk with Jesus.

Emotionally, lonely, feeling sorry how life has panned out, join a ministry group at Incarnation make some new friends more give of your time and talents serving others hurting in need, we have a ministry fair coming up soon, check it out, hurting physically, follow good medical advice give more time to prayer others in physical pain, and rely on the Eucharist for the rest.

Financially distressed, increase your generosity towards God, give a little more of your scares funds by faith regularly and see how God will order your finance and repays you back for all you needs abundantly.

When we give from a position of hurt and humility, we learning to trust God for everything.

The confessional and the offertory basket become our need to detach ourselves from worldly possessions 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner”, and the Eucharist becomes our need for nourishment and healing.