Our Gospel is about the contrast that exists between "pride" and "humility."The Pharisee displays the vice of pride to us, while the Publican displays the virtue of humility. The Pharisee was so caught up in his sinfulness that he failed to see the need to lower himself to the mercy of God. The Pharisee was caught up in his good works and thus failed to see his own sinfulness. The Publican kept things simple and thus he exclaimed his sinfulness and beat his breast in acknowledgment of this sin. The Publican was able to lower himself in a true spirit of humility that we should emulate.
Pride is acknowledged as being the root of all sin. Saint Gregory the Great exclaimed: "Pride, is the sovereign of vices, when it has captured and vanquished the heart, which delivers it into the hands of its lieutenants, the seven capital vices, that they may despoil it and produce vices of all kinds." Pride is a form of rebellion which keeps an individual from submitting themselves to God and thus coming to accept the truth that He extends unto us.
It is pride when we look upon the events of the day and fail to give thanks to God. It is pride when we begin to twist the teachings of faith to mean anything which we might desire. It is pride that has plunged our world into the acceptance of many harmful actions which collide against natural law (removing children from the marital embrace, the acceptance of abortion, or the desire of redefining marriage). It is pride which causes us to slander our neighbor. It is pride which causes us to fail to make time to give God adoration and glory. It is pride which causes us to fail to see the need to return to the Sacrament of Confession and prevail ourself to the mercy of God.
Humility is our answer. Saint Augustine exclaims: "Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance." Humility is the realization that we need dependence upon God, that we must submit ourself unto Him, and thus God alone is the remedy for all which ails us. Without an understanding of the virtue of humility our life and that of our culture will continue to fall away, but with humility as our guide our life and culture can be strengthened in our dependence upon God from whom all our blessings flow.
To cultivate this virtue we must: (1) Pray for the virtue of humility. (2) We must realize that many humiliations will come our way and do that which is most difficult which is to accept them whenever they befall us, (3) We must learn to obey our superiors. It is tough to submit and follow the authority of another, (4) We must realize our lowliness when we mediate upon God who has created all things, (5) We must consider others to be better then ourself rather then exclaiming like the Pharisee: "I give thanks, O God, that I am not as the rest of men."
May we therefore stand with the Publican in lowering ourself to the mercy of God. Through humility we will conquer our sin and inspire the world to do the same. Humility is the answer that we are in search, but may we be brave enough to lower ourself to such an extreme.
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