杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The 杏MAP导航 focused his reflections on three figures in this Sunday鈥檚 readings: a Pharisee, a tax collector, and a poor person. Each of them tells us something about how to pray, and suggests the kind of prayer that is 鈥減leasing to God鈥�.

The prayer of the Pharisee

杏MAP导航 Francis said the Pharisee begins well by giving thanks to God, 鈥渂ecause the best prayer is that of gratitude and praise鈥�. Immediately afterwards, though, he adds he is grateful because he is 鈥渘ot like other men鈥�. Filled with self-assurance 鈥渁bout his own ability to keep the commandments, his own merits and virtues, he is focused only on himself. He is without love鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

The Pharisee 鈥渆nds up praising himself instead of praying鈥�, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis. He stands in the temple of God, 鈥渂ut the one he worships is himself鈥�. He forgets both God and his neighbour, considering others mere 鈥渓eftovers鈥� from which to keep one鈥檚 distance. 

How many times do those in prominent positions 鈥渞aise up walls to increase distances, making other people feel even more rejected鈥�, despising their traditions, erasing their history, occupying their lands, and usurping their goods, asked the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淗ow much alleged superiority, transformed into oppression and exploitation, exists even today鈥�?

The face of the Amazon

鈥淚n the scarred face of the Amazon鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, we have seen how 鈥渢he mistakes of the past were not enough to stop the plundering of other persons and the inflicting of wounds on our brothers and sisters and on our sister earth鈥�. Worship of self continues hypocritically with its rites and prayers, he said, 鈥渇orgetting the true worship of God which is always expressed in love of one's neighbour鈥�. 

The 杏MAP导航 prayed for the grace 鈥渘ot to consider ourselves superior鈥�, not to become 鈥渃ynical and scornful鈥�. Let us ask Jesus 鈥渢o heal us of despising this or that person鈥�, he said. 鈥淭hese things are displeasing to God鈥�.

The prayer of the tax collector

The prayer of the tax collector, on the other hand, 鈥渉elps us understand what is pleasing to God鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. He begins with his own shortcomings, admitting he is 鈥減oor before God鈥�. He stands far off and beats his breast, because that is where the heart is. 鈥淗is prayer is born from the heart鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

鈥淭o pray is to stand before God鈥檚 eyes, without illusions, excuses or justifications鈥�, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淒arkness and lies come from the devil鈥�, he added. 鈥淟ight and truth come from God鈥�.

Looking at the tax collector, said the 杏MAP导航, we rediscover where to start: 鈥渇rom the conviction that we, all of us, are in need of salvation鈥�. To consider ourselves righteous is to leave God 鈥渙ut in the cold鈥�, he said.

We are all 鈥渁 bit tax collectors because we are sinners and a bit Pharisees because we are presumptuous鈥�, he said. 鈥淭his may often work with ourselves, but not with God鈥�. We do well to associate with the poor, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢o remind ourselves that we are poor鈥�, and that 鈥渢he salvation of God operates only in an atmosphere of interior poverty鈥�.

The prayer of the poor person

Finally, the prayer of the poor person, said the 杏MAP导航, is one that 鈥渞ises directly to God鈥�. In the words of Sirach, 鈥渋t will reach to the clouds鈥�. The poor 鈥渄id not put themselves ahead of others鈥� in this life, explained 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淭hey had their wealth in God alone鈥�, and are 鈥渓iving icons of Christian prophecy鈥�.

The Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region 鈥渉ad the grace of listening to the voices of the poor and reflecting on the precariousness of their lives, threatened by predatory models of development鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. The Synod also heard those who testified that it is possible to treat the created world 鈥渘ot as a resource to be exploited, but as a home to be preserved, with trust in God鈥�. 

The 杏MAP导航 concluded praying for the grace 鈥渢o be able to listen to the cry of the poor: this is the cry of hope of the Church鈥�, he said. 鈥淲hen we make their cry our own, our prayer too will reach to the clouds鈥�.