Almighty Lord, I know how great are the power of tears! For they led up Hezekiah from the gates of death. They delivered the sinful woman from the transgressions of her many years. They justified the Publican above the Pharisee. Now with my own tears I also pray: “Have mercy upon me.”
It is with those same words, coupled with a lot of tears, that we continue to prepare ourselves for that time that true Christians crave more than anything else in this life. Just as we tithe our time and material possessions out of love for God and for each other, so we also tithe our souls to God during Great and Holy Lent.
We have 3 more weeks brothers and sisters, and I pray that you are craving the Lenten Season as much as I am, because how could you not? Every year, we have 40 days plus the Holiest Week of the year before Pascha, that are filled with enough Grace to last us the rest of the year! In order to receive that fullness, the Church reminds us that we have work to do to prepare, which leads us to the example our Lord gives us in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. I offer you three short points to take to heart and remember as our countdown to the holiest part of the year begins.
1.) Avoid “Words of Madness”
We hear in those incredible hymns of the Canon of St. Andrew on the first week: “The publican was saved…but the pharisee through boasting was condemned. For the first said: “Be merciful” and “Have mercy on me”…but the last boasted and cried, “O God I thank Thee…” and then uttered words of madness”
It is interesting that externally, the Pharisee seemed like such a holy man! He knew who God was. He knew about fasting and almsgiving, and was apparently doing these things in abundance! He even knew how important it was to go to Church, as he offered up this “prayer” in the temple! Yet despite having the knowledge that God sits upon the Cherubim and looks upon us all from the heights of heaven, he decided to pray with himself rather than with God.
The “words of madness” St. Andrew refers to in the canon are none other than the words of pride and of judgment. The Pharisee had pride with the haughtiness he had for his own accomplishments, and for the judgement he showed towards the Publican.
In the last 48 hours, even if it is just in our minds, have uttered judgment against someone? Have we participated in gossip? Have we showed outward piety without first cultivating our hearts? When we enter into the recesses of our own heart and reflect upon the times we have uttered words of madness, it is unnerving. May our Lord have mercy on us!
2.) Learning to Turn Our Hearts Back to God
How can we begin to turn our hearts back to God? The Church gives us the answer in the form of the Publican. Here was a man who was considered impious! He was a traitor to his own people and a collaborator with the Romans!
When we think about it, the publican is not unlike us living amid the fallen world. In looking at our own lives, do we collaborate with the world, putting our trust and faith in money, wealth, and power more than we do with God? Do we put our faith first above all things? Is our Love for God unfading and everlasting, or does it sway back and forth with our emotions and our mood?
Despite living a life like all of us, it is the publican who is found beating his breast in anguish…trying to leave the material world and enter into the deep recess of his heart which is the place where man meets God. He considered himself unworthy of even being in the temple, let alone in the Kingdom. This is what humility looks like, and it is the virtue that is the most necessary if we are to tackle the pride and judgment that has nested within our hearts.
We will repeat many times every single night on that first week of services of Great Lent: “Have mercy on me o God, have mercy on me.” We will say it 5, 10, 20, 100 times over and over and over so that it can be carved into the recesses of our hearts. May those words be on our lips constantly during these days of preparation!
3.) What is the Proper Response to Judgment?
We learn from this parable how our reaction to being judged says a lot about the makeup of our own heart. Despite being judged in the midst of the Church by the Pharisee, the publican offered no defense for himself, but rather sat quietly and beat his breast.
St. John of the Ladder tells the story in the Ladder of Divine Ascent, of three monks who were the brunt of judgement and gossip by someone. The first monk, after hearing someone speak ill against him, kept silent. In this, St. John says that we learn fear. We fear what judgment God might bring upon us if we return judgment for judgment.
The second monk, after being slandered, rejoiced! At the same time, he also held tremendous sorrow for the wrong doer. In this, St. John says that we learn that there is a reward that awaits those who endure, like Christ did, the wrongful slander of others.
The Third monk had perhaps the most beautiful response of all. Rather than worrying about the judgment that was thrown his way, he wept for his neighbor, who was bringing condemnation upon himself. In this, St. John says that when enduring judgment, we are given the opportunity to Love.
When we are being judged by others, we follow the example of the publican dear ones. Within his response, just like in the response of those three monks, we are given the opportunity to grow in fear of God, in the hope for reward, and in love for one another.
Dear ones, let us approach the Holy Season of fasting, not just with these thoughts in our mind, but rather these lessons implanted firmly in our hearts. Glory be to the Loving Lord Who Takes Away the Sins of the World! Amen!