All good people go to heaven – right? Do you think that if you are a good person, if you’re nice to people and don’t litter, then you can go to heaven? The Pharisee in Luke 18 thought that his good behavior and his obedience to the law qualified him for heaven. He thought his strict adherence to the rules for tithing and fasting made him holy, and so, deserving of God’s blessings. The audacity!
But don’t we think that way, too sometimes. That prideful thinking gets turned on its head in today’s parable. It is clear that God prefers humility. The tax collector gives us a good model to follow.
Pope Francis told us that our life’s mission is to be holy. Holiness is discerning and doing God’s will. Holiness is our humble acceptance of our brokenness and need for God’s mercy. Holiness is forgiving imperfections in ourselves and others. In that, we gain empathy and compassion for others and so strive to show mercy to them as Jesus shows mercy to us.
Holiness is a call to be different from the world, to stand out, to make a noticeable difference. Living a holy life of love becomes our goal. This is what stewardship is all about! We are to be generous with the gifts God gives us in service to those in need. We grow in our discipleship by being humble, other-centered, and self-sacrificing, attentive to the needs of the poor, giving alms and taking action, doing what we can to help them. This is the challenge and the privilege of those who would repay the Lord for all His great goodness.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download