SUNDAY, THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Sir 35: 12-18 Ps 34 2 Tm 4: 6-8, 16-18 Lk 18: 9-14
PRAYER THAT TOUCHES HEAVEN
Let us think we are standing before God right now. We can speak only one sentence. So what that sentence would be? Would it be a list of our achievements like, “I went to church, I fasted, I gave alms” or would it be something humbler, like, “Lord, have mercy on me”? This is the question that today’s Word of God places before us. The readings of the day remind us that not all prayers are equal. Some touch heaven; others bounce back at our lips. The difference? Humility.
In the book of Sirach we see hear about the prayer that rises. The author writes, The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds. God bends His ear to the cry of the oppressed, the broken hearted, the sinner who knows his need for mercy. In other words we could say, ‘Heaven has a password and that password is humility.’ A proud heart says, “I deserve to be heard.” A humble heart whispers, “Lord, without You, I am nothing.” And God cannot resist the latter one.
In the second reading of today we hear about St. Paul’s humble example. Writing to Timothy at the end of his life, he does not boast of his brilliance or eloquence. Instead, he simply says, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. His crown was not earned but, it was a gift from the Lord. He shows us that perseverance in prayer and faith does not come from muscles of steel, but from a heart that leans completely on Christ. As Pope John Paul II said, Paul’s perseverance was a proof, not of human strength, but of the efficacy of Christ’s grace.
The day’s Gospel projects the spotlight on the message: the Pharisee prays, but it’s more of a speech. He talks about himself, his fasting, his tithing, his goodness. His words rise no higher than the ceiling. The tax collector, however, stands at the back, beats his breast, and pleads, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” And Jesus delivers a teaching when he says, The latter went home justified, not the former. God’s heart is moved not pride, but by truth – the truth that we are needy, broken, dependent on His mercy.
Saint Augustine once said, Man is a beggar before God. That is not an insult, it is a reality. Prayer is not about impressing God; it is about opening our empty hands to receive. Saint Teresa of Avila understood this well. She insisted, The whole foundation of prayer must be laid in humility. The more a soul humbles itself, the more God lifts it up. She even called humility and detachment two sisters… sovereign virtues, empresses of the world. Pope Francis echoes the same. He says, A humble heart has the courage to become a beggar. In fact, he says, the truly poor person is the humble one. Because humility generates trust that God will never abandon us.
So, what does this mean to us? It means when we pray, we should check the posture of our hearts. Are we presenting a spiritual résumé? Or are we whispering, “Lord, I need You”? Humility in prayer is not about putting ourselves down but, it is about standing in truth, recognizing that all we are, and all we have, comes from God. That is why St. James reminds us, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). We live in a world where people boast: on social media, in workplaces, even in relationships. The message is, “Show off. Prove yourself. Exalt yourself.” But today’s Gospel flips the script. It says, Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. (Lk 18:14). The way up is actually down. The path to heaven begins on our knees.
So dear friends, let us remember that the prayer that touches heaven is not long, loud, or decorated, but, it is humble. When we kneel before God, we do not need fancy words. We only need the words of the tax collector, Lord, have mercy on me. Those five words can pierce the clouds, shake the heavens, and open the gates of God’s mercy. Let us ask Our Lady, Queen of All Saints, to give us this gift of humility, so that our prayers may always rise to God’s heart and never fall empty.
Response: The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him.
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