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Pharisee

The Alphabet of Lent – Letter H

26 février 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 'pharisaism', arrogance, Luke 18:9-14, Pharisee, praise, self-satisfied, sinner, tax collector

H for Hypocrite

Among the members of religious associations of different denominations,
at times, there is a disease that sours relationships –
relationships with one another and, also, the relationship with… God.

Unfortunately, this affliction often remains without treatment,
even though it is truly harmful.
This disease is that of… ‘pharisaism’!

You smile, but you know very well what it is about.
Its symptoms are all too obvious.
Jesus has described them in a memorable way in one of his well-known parables.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, 
Jesus told this parable: 
‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people –
robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance.
He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,
‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted’.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Display of arrogance,
despising others,
ignoring their good intentions,
being indifferent to their efforts to do good.

Being self-satisfied,
satisfied of one’s irreproachable conduct,
satisfied of one’s personal realizations worthy of admiration,
even satisfied of one’s exemplary religious practices!

Boasting about one’s achievements of all that is required… to impress people around!
God himself should be proud of such a servant faithful to all that can be expected of him!

The problem is that this apparently faithful servant is giving glory to himself
rather than thanking God who is helping him to become what he, God, desires.
This person is not aware that his fidelity is the work of God’s Spirit at work in him.
 
Such becoming aware is one of the essential attitudes required of us during this Lenten period.

 

Source: Image: https://achristianpilgrim.wordpress.com

30th Sunday of Year C – 2019

25 octobre 2019
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: 2 Co.11:16, boasting, Lk.18:9-14, Paul the apostle, Pharisee, Tm. 4:16-18, Tm. 4:6-8

The gospel of this Sunday (Lk.18:9-14) shows us a man that, nowadays, people would say is ‘full of himself’!
This Pharisee does not hesitate to remind, even God, of all his qualities and good actions.
We justly see his claims for what they are: boasting pure and simple.

But, the 2nd reading (Tm. 4:6-8,16-18) presents us with another man, Paul the apostle,
whose words are also rather astonishing in this respect.
He writes to his friend, Timothy, in these terms:

“I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.”
 
Before writing these lines, he has admitted: “The time for my departure is near.”
He is aware that soon his life may be coming to an end, he looks back on what his experience has been.
His positive appraisal of his life could sound like boasting but he makes it very clear where his strength has come from:

“The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength…
To him be glory for ever.”
 
Obviously, Paul was not longer the Pharisee he had been!

This is what is expected of us:
the recognition that whatever we manage to do,
whatever we succeed in achieving,
it is God who does it with us and through us.

An additional note is called for: some may argue that it happened that Paul boasted.
This is correct; in 2 Co.11:16, this is what he admits to:

“Let no one take me for a fool.
But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool,
so that I may do a little boasting.”

But he hastens to add:
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

Who could object to that?!

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/30e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

 

Source: Image: backgroundbible.com

30th Sunday of the Year, C

20 octobre 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: Lk.18:9-14, Pharisee, prayer, Ps.34:18, publican, the Law

Praying is known to be an activity essentially directed to… God. It seems obvious that when someone comes to God in prayer, praises, thanks, blessings, will be addressed to him.
It could be said that prayer is simply acknowledging who God is and… who we are.

Amazingly, the gospel text of this Sunday (30th, Year C – Lk.18:9-14) presents us with someone who had not understood this most basic lesson about prayer.pharisee-pub
He is surely as convinced of the fact that he is praying as he is of being… the most deserving of God’s worshippers.

Jesus’ story is well known to us under the familiar title of: The parable of the Pharisee and the publican.
We know it well in its most colourful details, we even enjoy the caricatured description of the two personages.
The first one, a Pharisee, well respected in the Jewish community, comes before God to list – as if God had failed to notice – his many worthy actions that should win him God’s blessings. He does not fail to mention also how he carefully avoids any transgression of the Law.

Worse is to come. At this point in his prayer, the Pharisee starts looking down at the other man behind whom he despises for his last of respect for the Law. That publican has been judged and found wanting in the mind of the observant Pharisee.

The traditional roles of each of the two men are painted accurately. So far, Jesus’ listeners must follow him without difficulty while perhaps wondering where he is going with that story. It soon becomes very clear when Jesus concludes and says about the publican: “This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not.”

The Pharisee full of himself and boastful of all his qualities has not recognised God’s love and mercy who have brought him where he is. He thought he already had all he needed to have.

We may sometimes fail to understand that whatever we are and whatever we have managed to become is pure gift from God. We may be oblivious to all that we still need to be given so as to please God.
The publican stood before God – bowed before him – ready to be given, happy to receive God’s forgiveness and all the other gifts that God is eager to give to people like him.

For the Psalm assures us (Ps.34:18): “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.” Happy are we if we remember this whenever we approach God in prayer…

Source: Image: www.pravoslavie.ru

11th Sunday of the Year, C

9 juin 2016
Nicole Gregoire
Aucun commentaire
Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: compassion, Jesus, Lc. 7:36-50, Mary Magdalene, Pharisee, Ps.34:18, Ps.51:17, Simon the Pharisee, the Man of Nazareth

The scene is well-known, the story it depicts as well, and the woman character in it is no less famous, could we say. So many works of art, works of fiction and of theological reflection are centred on the subject: Mary Magdalene, the women of Magdala.

The gospel text of this Sunday (11th Sunday of the Year, C – Lk.7:36-50) brings again this scene to our minds and hearts. Much has been said and much more could be said about the woman and about her encounter with the Man of Nazareth, that Teacher so different from all others.

For me, the story could be summarizwoman-anointing Im-international.used in two verses of the Psalms:
“My sacrifice is this broken spirit, you will not scorn this broken heart.”   (Ps.51:17)
“The Lord is near to the broken of heart, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.”   (Ps.34:18)

More than the broken jar of her perfume, Mary Magdalene brought to Jesus her broken heart – her sorrow for what she had been and… for what she had not been!
Her crushed spirit was filled with regrets, sincere repentance for what her life had been so far; this is what she brings silently before the Man of God.

Her broken heart shows the scars of what the contempt, the arrogance, the selfishness of people have inflicted on her.
All this added to the bitterness of being conscious of her failings – this is what she can place near the feet that she washes and dries with her hair.

She speaks no word, no confession is heard, no self-accusation or even promise of doing better – all is expressed in her silent offering.
Jesus receives it as it is offered, and he is indeed near the woman with a broken heart.
His nearness makes of him her defender against the silent accusation of the self-righteous Pharisee.

Amazingly, Jesus condemns nobody, not even Simon – he, himself, is the one giving the correct answer which condemns him.
It seems that, like some people still today, he has all the answers but… so little compassion!
And, it seems also that our God is a God of compassion… the very compassion that the Man of Nazareth is showing to the woman at his feet.

Source: Image: Im-international.us