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March 30, 2019We all struggle with self-righteousness and pride at one time or another. We see this played out most often in our relationships with one another, whether in the family, in our circle of friends and co-workers, in parish communities and yes even in religious life! Whatever the reason, we can easily fall for the temptation to build ourselves up at someone else’s expense.
We can even do this in our relationship with God. How tempting it is to try to prove ourselves worthy in God’s eyes through acts of devotion or works of mercy. Perhaps we might even be lead into thinking that our life of prayer and service is more akin to a commercial exchange rather than based on the gift of grace.
Today’s selections from the prophet Hosea and St. Luke’s Gospel address this all too human temptation. True piety and charity spring from a humbled and contrite heart and come as a free response to a free gift. Even repentance itself is God’s initiative in us. Gratitude, not pride and self-righteousness is the motivation for both love of God and neighbor.
During our season of Lent, we are invited then to come to the altar not to remind God of how good we are or have been as compared to others. Our Lord is in no need of such helpful reminders. Rather, we come always humbled and grateful for our need of His mercy and that of one another.
