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Saturday of the Third Week of Lent - Being Justified by Mercy

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent - Being Justified by Mercy

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Catholic Daily Reflections

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Short reflections on the Gospel of the day, from My Catholic Life!

Religion & Spiritualität

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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.” Luke 18:9–10

This Scripture passage introduces the Parable of the Pharisee and
the Tax Collector. They both go to the Temple to pray, but their
prayers are very different from each other. The prayer of the
Pharisee is very dishonest, whereas the prayer of the tax collector
is exceptionally sincere and honest. Jesus concludes by saying that
the tax collector went home justified but not the Pharisee. He
states, “...for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and
the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

True humility is simply being honest. Too often in life we are not
honest with ourselves and, therefore, are not honest with God.
Thus, for our prayer to be true prayer, it must be honest and
humble. And the humble truth for all of our lives is best expressed
by the prayer of the tax collector who prayed, “O God, be merciful
to me a sinner.”

How easy is it for you to admit your sin? When we understand the
mercy of God, this humility is much easier. God is not a God of
harshness but is a God of the utmost mercy. When we understand that
God’s deepest desire is to forgive us and to reconcile us to
Himself, then we will deeply desire honest humility before
Him.

Lent is an important time for us to deeply examine our conscience
and make new resolutions for the future. Doing so will bring new
freedom and grace into our lives. So do not be afraid to honestly
examine your conscience so as to see your sin clearly in the way
God sees it. Doing so will put you in a position to pray this
prayer of the tax collector: “O God, be merciful to me a
sinner.”

Reflect, today, upon your sin. What do you struggle with the most
right now? Are there sins from your past that you have never
confessed? Are there ongoing sins that you justify, ignore and are
afraid to face? Take courage and know that honest humility is the
road to freedom and the only way to experience justification before
God.

My merciful Lord, I thank You for loving me with a perfect love.
I thank You for Your incredible depth of mercy. Help me to see all
of my sin and to turn to You with honesty and humility so that I
can be freed of these burdens and become justified in Your sight.
Jesus, I trust in You.

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Featured images above: The Pharisee and the Publican By Barent
Fabritius, via Wikimedia Commons