Pharisee or Tax Collector?

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.