Saint Luke 18: 9-14
11th Sunday after Trinity: 28 August Anno Domini 2022
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
Jesus talked then. Jesus talks now. Jesus talks to all men. There is no one that does good no not one. There are no good Pharisees and no good Publicans.
Jesus talks to you.
Jesus talks to those who trusted, who trust, in themselves.
Abram (Abraham) trusted in himself when he lied about his relationship to Sarai (Sarah) in order to give him physical security. We will stop with Father Abraham and not mention the hundreds of other times that the Old Testament protagonists and antagonists failed to keep The Lord’s Law: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, strength, and mind; Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me.” What does this mean? “We should fear, love, and TRUST in God before all things.”
What are those things that all men trust in MORE than The Lord? Self-directed prayer. The Pharisee was both praying to himself with his bragging, and also praying to all observers that they too might be put on notice of his marvelous accomplishments. Narcissism? Well yes, but we’ll call it the sin of Satan and his brood: Pride. “I’m good, or at least I’m better than the bad!”
What else did he trust in? He was not an extortioner. The NASB translates it as “swindler” That’s pretty good. This man is bragging that he’s not a sneaky, shifty, money-grubbing Jew. Okay, that’s what he says. He’s also proud that he can trust in his not committing adultery against his wife. He also relies on his abilities to fast twice weekly and to give 10% of his income and holdings—probably to the Temple and not to the poor alms-beggars.
He does not understand, that is, he does not receive Grace because he neither is miserable or self-aware of his sinful condition. He knows neither Moses nor Prophet Nathan’s sweet words of forgiveness. It is not that he is a hypocrite, those he is, it is that he is a pagan unbeliever no matter how much he protests his Jewishness.
If you trust in your own abilities not to break God’s Commandments you are in his exact position before the “bar” of God’s Justice.
Now to be sure: you must not swindle or cheat people—even your enemies. You are not to commit any acts of sexual immorality. You should fast and give 10% to The Lord’s Church and people.
But you don’t. You don’t keep The Law any more perfectly than the Pharisee did.
But Jesus did. Maybe the Pharisee got tired of the same old Gospel from the Hebrew Scriptures—week after week, that The Lord did it. The Lord Saves. Jesus. Maybe you get bored with the same sermon week after week that The Lord did it. It is finished. Jesus. Maybe you’re just tired of fighting with your “old Adam,” and just want to stand up, life up your hands, and boast: “God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men!”
The tax collector took money away from people. He was despised. He believed in mercy and forgiveness from God. He repented by the gift and power of The Holy Spirit. He simply received Grace from God. Righteousness was placed upon him and in him.
Jesus is the sin collector, the true Publican. He kept all the Commandments thoroughly, not just on the surface. He took not money, not silver and gold, but filthy, foul, feculent, damning sin away from all the public—the whole world. Jesus did not swindle in fact he paid for the things that He never took; He suffered for the trespasses He never committed—but which you did. He was pure. He remains pure in life-giving water and soothing Eucharist. He fasted in the desert, He fasted in Gethsemane, He fasted for 6 long hours while nailed to the cross. He didn’t just “smote upon His breast” but had His flesh ripped and torn and pierced deep.
We preach Christ crucified. Which one of the two received that sweet evangel? The Pharisee was too busy pontificating about works. The Publican with eyes cast down—for The Crucifix is hard to bear in one’s vision too long—and hand smiting old sinful nature—was with The Blessed Virgin and Saint John the beloved, at the foot of the cross—receiving mercy.
The Lord abased and humbled beyond description. And all of you lifted up and exalted. You are brought to this house justified. That is, you are forgiven:
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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