Sirach 35:12-14.16-18.
The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no
favorites.
Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.
He is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint;
He who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal,
Nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right.
Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.
He is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint;
He who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal,
Nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right.
Ps 34(33):2-3.17-18.19.23.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
The lowly will hear me and be glad.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
To destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
And from all their distress he rescues them.
The is close to the brokenhearted;
And those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
His praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
The lowly will hear me and be glad.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
To destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
And from all their distress he rescues them.
The is close to the brokenhearted;
And those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
2 Tim 4:6-8.16-18.
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a
libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Lk 18:9-14.
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were
convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Commentary of the day :
Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Commentary of the day :
My wife commented today with surprise how there was an article in the news that said, "Even Beyoncé changes her baby's nappies".
So what? Why is she so special that she wont get her hands dirty for her baby? Do they pay people to change nappies for celebrities? Why is she special? She is a singer, an actress but other than that, she is a nobody special.. and nor is anyone. With God all are equal in His eyes.
As I see the poor lugging pieces of wood and plastic off the beach to sell to buy rice for their families I feel inclined to help them. And sometimes I do. Of course I can't help everyone although I wish I was positioned better to do so. But I help them carry their wood or offer them drinking water like they were celebrities because I believe in Jesus' eyes everyone is somebody.
The Gospel teaches us today not to think we are better than anyone because we will soon be humbled by some experience that we have no control over. The fact is in the reality that our faeces smells just like everyone else's.
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Discourses on the Psalms, Ps 86[85], 2-3
"O God, be merciful to me a
sinner"
“Turn
your ear, O Lord, and give answer, for I am poor and needy” (Ps 86[85],1). He
doesn't turn his ear to the rich man but to the poor and needy one, towards the
man who is humble and acknowledges his sins, the one who begs his mercy not the
one who is satisfied, who takes a superior position, who vaunts himself as
though he lacked for nothing and who has just said: “I thank you that I am not
like this publican”. For that rich Pharisee made much of his worthiness; the
poor publican confessed his sins...
All those who reject pride are poor before God and we know that he turns his ear to the poor and needy. They have recognized that their hope can't rest in gold or silver or those possessions they own in abundance for a season... When someone despises within himself everything for which pride knows so well how to flatter itself, then that person is one of God's poor. God inclines his ear to him for he knows the sufferings of his heart...
Learn, then, to be poor and needy whether you own something in this world or not. We may find a proud beggar and a rich man who is pierced by the feeling of his own unworthiness. “God refuses the proud” whether they are clothed in silk or covered with rags; “he gives his grace to the humble” (Jas 4,6; Prv 3,34) whether they possess or do not posses this world's goods. God looks on what is within: that's what he weighs, that's what he tests. You don't see God's weights; your feelings, plans, thoughts, these are what he sets on the scale... If there is around or within you something prompting you to self-satisfaction, reject it. Let God be all your certainty. Be poor in him that he may fill you with himself.
All those who reject pride are poor before God and we know that he turns his ear to the poor and needy. They have recognized that their hope can't rest in gold or silver or those possessions they own in abundance for a season... When someone despises within himself everything for which pride knows so well how to flatter itself, then that person is one of God's poor. God inclines his ear to him for he knows the sufferings of his heart...
Learn, then, to be poor and needy whether you own something in this world or not. We may find a proud beggar and a rich man who is pierced by the feeling of his own unworthiness. “God refuses the proud” whether they are clothed in silk or covered with rags; “he gives his grace to the humble” (Jas 4,6; Prv 3,34) whether they possess or do not posses this world's goods. God looks on what is within: that's what he weighs, that's what he tests. You don't see God's weights; your feelings, plans, thoughts, these are what he sets on the scale... If there is around or within you something prompting you to self-satisfaction, reject it. Let God be all your certainty. Be poor in him that he may fill you with himself.
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