Faith and Pride

The 22nd Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25C), Oct. 28, 2007

BCP: Jer. 14:(1-6)7-10, 19-22; Psalm 84 or 84:1-6; 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

RCL: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65 or Ecclus. 35:12-17 or Jer. 14:7-10, 19-22; Psalm 84:1-6; 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Three weeks ago, Jesus talked about having faith the size of a mustard seed. Then we heard the story of the ten lepers who were healed (“Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19). Last week, Jesus shared a parable about a widow’s faith and her persistent (and ultimately successful) quest for justice. This brings us to a fourth important teaching about faith in today’s gospel: Sincere faith can easily be corrupted by the sin of pride.

Two men have gone up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. Unlike the Sadducees, who applied the mosaic law exactly as written (we might call them Torah fundamentalists), the Pharisees were a bit laid back, allowing for interpretation of scripture. They honored the oral tradition to help make God’s word more applicable to new situations (dare we call them revisionists?). People of the day admired Pharisees for their austerity, their animosity toward the pagan rulers, and their outward spirituality.

The other man who went to pray that day was a tax collector, who would have been widely despised for his collaboration with the Romans, betrayal of the Jewish people, and the presumed corruption of his work. The contrast between the two is intentional: One is presumed to be a man of faith and righteousness, the other a despicable sinner. To their credit both have gone to the temple to pray.

Note the sharp difference in their prayers. The Pharisee is there to tell God what a good person he is; “I am not like other men” (18:11) he tells the Lord. He even tithes his gross income, clearly a stewardship success story if there ever was one. The tax collector, on the other hand, knows that he is a sinner and asks God for mercy.

The reading from Jeremiah sets the stage: “... our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee” (14:7 and 14:20). The Lord’s response is telling: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet” (14:10), a reminder that mere words are never adequate, even spoken in the context of faith: “We set our hope in thee” (14:22).

Thus we are challenged to walk a fine line. On the one hand we are encouraged to celebrate our faith and put it to work perhaps on an inner healing or a persistent quest for justice. Equally important, we must simultaneously beware the temptation to see ourselves as better than others. We might call this faithful humility or humble faithfulness.

Whatever we call it, it is hard to find it anywhere these days in our church or in our country.

Look It Up

In Luke 15:7 Jesus speaks of the joy in heaven when one sinner repents. Also see Matthew 6:5.

Think About It

If an arrogant, hypocritical, snotty Pharisee can tithe, why do so many of us find it so difficult?

Next Sunday

BCP: Ecclus. 44:1-10, 13-14; Psalm 149; Rev. 7:2-4, 9-17; Matt. 5:1-12; or Ecclus. 2:(1-6)7-11; Eph. 1:(11-14)15-23; Luke 6:20-26(27-36)

RCL: Dan. 7:1-3, 15-18; Psalm 149; Eph. 1:11-23; Luke 6:20-31