When this Sunday comes, we feel that we became close to the Lent. This day starts the period of “Triodon”, which is the book that contains the biblical texts that precede the lent and ends when by entering Pascha.
The scene talks about two people that went up to the temple in Jerusalem to pray, one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. We have mentioned previously that the Pharisees were from a very strict religious party concerning the issue of keeping the Law; they even added new restrictions that weren’t found in the Law. Jesus had several confrontations with these people because they were hypocrites. The Savior was not against their theological problems especially that they agree with Jesus since they teach about resurrection, while other Jews didn’t believe in resurrection. The Lord was against their behavior and pride.
The other person was a tax collector to the Romans; it was known that tax collectors used to steal from the taxes and don’t pay all the money to the authorities.
The Pharisee was bragging in front of the tax collector and accusing him with corruption and injustice. He was bragging that he fasts twice a week although Moses’ Law didn’t ask for this, and also that he gives tithes of what he owns although it was also not asked to give tithes of simple material such us vegetables and fruits.
On the other side, the sinner tax collector stands with his eyes upon the ground, asking for forgiveness as he says: “God, be merciful to me a sinner”.
This is a biblical parable, i.e. a story that Jesus told in order to give the Jews a lesson, and this is what he does by saying that the tax collector went down to his house justified rather than the other, and he continues: “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”.
Therefore, we start in this Sunday that prepares for the Lent with a lesson about humility. Fasting has no value without humility. No one can be proud about his fasting. A person can be proud about the mercy that descends on him from God and forgives his sins. Do not boast about anything you have done because, as St. Basil the great says in his liturgy, “we haven’t done any good in front of God”.
Apostle Paul has said that when a person considers himself something, therefore he is nothing. Only God could exalt us while being on earth. He exalts us through his love and forgiveness. He who considers himself “nothing”, his Lord will make him “something”. The Savior taught us this with insistence when he said: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart”. It is asked to have smoothness in relations with people, kindness in treating others by trying not to hurt anyone or make a person sad, and make, through love, others happy at all times.
Let us consider the coming Lent a season of returning to God, a deep return coming from the depth of our hearts so that no one dwells in this heart except the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; through this we shall see the trinity dwelling in our hearts in the Holy Week and Pascha.
Translated by Mark Najjar
Original Text: “الفريسي والعشار” – 13.02.11
