Gospel for 21 February, 2007

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

At Twelve Step meetings, it is interesting that those present introduce themselves as, "My name is '----' and I'm an alcoholic, addict, etc. Ever wondered why that is? It's so that they cannot fool themselves into thinking that they are something they are not. They are addicts. That's why they are there. Even after 20 years of sobriety, they are still addicts. One brief moment of weakness and that man or woman is no different than the winos on skid row, or the junkies in a back alley selling their bodies for the next rock of crack.

Pharisees don't do well in Twelve Step programs, because they are forced to look at who and what they really are. Sad to say that there are still plenty of Pharisees around. Maybe in the church, when we pass the peace, we should introduce ourselves, "My name is ---, and I'm a sinner." At least we'd be honest. Who knows? Someday we might even start to realize just how true those words are and how much we really owe to God's Grace.