The way we
usually try to explore a parable is to place ourselves in the story, maybe
imagine ourselves as one of the characters.
It’s especially true for parables like the Good Samaritan or the
Prodigal Son. When you hear the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector,
what do you like to do? Are you the
Pharisee? Are you the tax collector? Are
you Jesus telling the story?
However
you’ve imagined this parable in the past, today I’d like you to think about it
in today’s context. Perhaps, it might sound something like this - -
Jesus told
this parable to those who trust in themselves that they were righteous and
regarded others with contempt: “Two
Episcopalians went up to the church to pray. The cradle Episcopalian stayed in
the back pew, where cradle Episcopalians always sit, and prayed thus, ‘God, I
thank thee that I am not like other Christians: Methodists, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians,
Bible literalists, or that thieving corporate executive over there. I know the
difference between a dinner fork and a salad fork; I serve on many committees;
I give a tenth of my income. Well, okay, I lied a little there – but hey, I
make a pledge, I’m a good person.”
But the Episcopalian
convert would not even look up to heaven, but knelt at the altar and said, “God,
forgive me. I didn’t want to lay those people off. But, it was them or me and I
have a family to take care of. I feel
horrible. Please have mercy on me and on
them.”
And Jesus
said to the crowds, “You are neither the Pharisee nor the tax
collector. You are both.”
Yes, both.
Both Episcopalians are dealing with being shamed before God. Of course, it’s easier to see in the
bombastic Episcopalian, but the humble Episcopalian is dealing with it
too. Both are fallen souls who have lost
their balance with regard to their relationship with God. We are Pharisee and
we are tax collector; we take too much pride in our own abilities and we make
our confessions, truly sorry, but without any intent to change our behavior. While
we might prescribe a good dose of attitude adjustment for the Pharisee, what’s
really needed is reconciliation with God.
While we might suggest to the tax collector a change in professions along
with a change of lifestyle, what’s really needed is reconciliation with
God. We need to be in right relationship
with the one without whom we cannot even draw breath.
Being in a
right relationship with God doesn’t necessarily mean you’re happy with God.
Even our least favorite teachers provide wisdom if we’re willing to hear
it. Many years ago, one supervisor, for
which I had little respect, told me that the measure of a person’s character
wasn’t so much that they excelled in what they enjoyed as much as it was that
they strove to excel at those things they didn’t enjoy. And one of my least favorite seminary
professors always warned us to “confess our own sins.” That’s something the Pharisee hasn’t quite
caught on to and the tax collector has figured out.
Understanding
our need of reconciliation is difficult in our culture. We’re taught early to cover our back sides so
that no one can hold us accountable for whatever might come to pass. (And, yet, the first thing we cry out for in
a crisis is to demand the discovery of who is to blame!) We are caught between what we must do to
survive and what we believe we ought to do as believers in Jesus. We believe
that we have to put on a different persona for work and for home and for school
and for church. We’re afraid to be who God made us to be. After a while, the
imbalance bends us over – and in some circumstances, breaks us. We forget that God’s grace has our back. We
forget that God’s love surrounds us even in our darkest moments. We lose our center – our friendship with God
goes awry.
God doesn’t
abandon us, however. God is always more
ready to hear than we are to pray. We need only be willing to know and take our
place in the scheme of things. When we pause to acknowledge that we’ve hurt
others to benefit ourselves and drop the self-righteous proclamations, then we
are open to the Spirit’s cleansing breath.
Then, we are open to do the same for and with others.
There is a
reason that we usually follow the prayers of the people with a general confession. By getting our own souls washed up and
purified, we can then turn to our family and friends and offer them the peace
of Christ. There is something quite
comforting about hearing those words of absolution.
But, you know
what? It’s a lot more comforting if you
really put some thought into those words and what parts of your life are behind
what you are saying. It’s too tempting,
in a general confession, to stay on the surface, confessing the equivalent of getting
your hand caught in the cookie jar.
Those are the easy sins to confess.
If you go a little deeper, what spiritual flotsam and jetsam gets
stirred up and sent to the surface? What
are those things you have done that you shouldn’t have done. What are those
things that you didn’t do that you should have?
What is the evil that enslaves you? What is the evil done on your
behalf? What lies were told? What bad
things have been said? What ideal hasn’t been upheld?
Before you
begin the confession, take a little bit of time to think about these questions.
It will help you make a new beginning by turning things around and letting God
be the center of your life.
Be humble and
you shall find yourselves exalted.
Amen.
