1st Reading – Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18
The LORD is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.
Though not unduly partial toward the weak,
yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.
The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan,
nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.
The one who serves God willingly is heard;
his petition reaches the heavens.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;
it does not rest till it reaches its goal,
nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,
judges justly and affirms the right,
and the Lord will not delay.
Today’s first reading assures us that God is not swayed by appearances, status, or wealth, but hears the cry of the oppressed, the orphan, and the widow.
The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.
Sirach affirms a central conviction of Israel’s faith: God is perfectly just (cf. Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 145:17; Isaiah 45:24). He shows no favoritism, whether toward the privileged or the poor.
Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed. He is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.
God is especially attentive to those who suffer wrong: the oppressed, the orphan, the widow. These groups, powerless in ancient society, symbolize all who have no earthly defender.
The verb used here for “hear” is eisakoúō, which conveys more than passive listening (akouō). Eisakoúō means “to listen to, to heed, to grant what is asked.” This word choice underscores God’s divine attentiveness and fidelity to justice — not passive awareness, but active engagement.
God’s impartiality means he judges all by the same moral standard. But that standard demands special care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. In a world skewed by inequality, divine justice must lean toward the poor to restore balance. This is not favoritism but fidelity to righteousness
He who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal,
God hears all who serve him with sincerity and humility.
The prayer of the lowly has a privileged place before him; it perseveres until it reaches God’s throne.
nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right,
This is reminiscent of the Parable of the Persistent Widow from our gospel reading last week (Luke 18). Both center on courtroom imagery and highlight the unrelenting nature of prayer.
Just as the widow refuses to stop petitioning the unjust judge until he rules in her favor, here the prayer of the lowly refuses to rest until God, the just Judge, responds.
and the Lord will not delay.
Scripture often portrays divine action as arriving at the “fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4) — not according to human expectations, but according to divine wisdom.
In biblical theology, delay is often a test of faith, but never a sign of divine failure. God’s justice is never late and never negligent.
2nd Reading – 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Beloved:
I am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Today’s second reading is Saint Paul’s farewell testimony in his second letter to Timothy, as he acknowledges that his life is coming to an end.
Beloved: I am already being poured out like a libation,
Paul uses the image of a drink offering (Numbers 15:5,7,10) to describe his impending martyrdom.
His life and death are presented as an act of worship, in which his blood will be poured out in sacrifice to God.
and the time of my departure is at hand.
Paul describes his death as a departure (ánalýō, from lýō, ‘to loose’), a term used for sailors weighing anchor or soldiers breaking camp. Like them, he has completed his arduous service and now prepares to return home.
In both images, he is not the one in control — his life is in God’s hands.
I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
Paul turns to his familiar theme of athletic imagery to summarize his ministry. To have “kept the faith” means to have remained faithful to the mission entrusted to him. He has persevered to the end.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day,
The laurel crown, once given to victorious athletes, becomes for Paul a symbol of the eternal reward Christ bestows.
Christ, the just judge, grants this crown — not based on earthly merit but by grace.
and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.
Paul claims no special privilege. He stresses that this hope is shared by all believers who await Christ’s return.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them!
Paul contrasts human abandonment with divine faithfulness. His companions failed him, yet he forgives them, echoing Christ’s own mercy.
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.
Even in trial, Paul sees God’s hand at work.
His imprisonment became a stage for proclaiming the Gospel to the Roman officials and others involved, showing that God can turn suffering into an opportunity for mission — and another step toward the universal mission of the Church.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
A biblical image (Psalm 22:21; Daniel 6:22) conveying God’s deliverance from mortal danger.
Some scholars suggest that this reference may be more literal than metaphorical, that perhaps Paul narrowly escaped the Roman punishment of being thrown to wild animals in a public spectacle. Although he was a Roman citizen and legally exempt from such execution, this possibility may have loomed during his first trial in Rome, before his status was fully recognized or his case resolved.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.
Paul does not expect release from prison or even suffering; rather, he trusts that God will preserve his faith and lead him securely to eternal life.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul ends with a doxology, giving all glory to God, who remains faithful from beginning to end.
Gospel – Luke 18:9-14
Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This week’s gospel reading is often called The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. With this story, Jesus teaches that true justification before God comes not from self-exaltation, but from humility and reliance on God’s mercy.
Today’s story is so well-known that we risk missing the full force of it. Jesus’ listeners would have been shocked: Pharisees were devout and respected, while tax collectors were despised as traitors and sinners.
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
From the outset, Luke tells us exactly who Jesus is speaking to.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
Pharisees were respected religious leaders known for their strict observance of the law (Acts 26:5; Galatians 1:14).
Tax collectors were despised because they were part of the economic system put in place by the occupying Romans. They were paid by adding fees to the taxes collected. Since there were no standard limits for these added charges, tax collectors often exacted exorbitant amounts. Hence, tax collectors were seen as traitors who enriched themselves at Israel’s expense while serving its enemy, Rome.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
This Pharisee is particularly pious: he does more than the law requires, fasting twice each week when the Law prescribed only one annual fast on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, cf. Leviticus 16:29-31). He also tithes on all his possessions, though the Law required tithing only on certain produce and earnings (cf. Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22).
There is no reason to think that his self-assessment is not accurate. By outward standards, he seems to be above reproach.
However, his words are less a prayer than a self-congratulation. He reminds God of his merits and compares himself favorably with others. He doesn’t realize that his upstanding practices do not add up to righteousness, that is, being in right relationship with God.
The Pharisee believes that he has earned God’s favor; he does not realize that righteousness is a gift rather than something earned.
But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
The demeanor of the despised tax collector is radically different than that of the Pharisee. His posture, his striking of the breast, and his simple plea reveal deep repentance.
The word translated as “be merciful” (hiláskomai) means to show mercy, to be gracious, to make atonement. In the Old Testament, this word is often used in connection with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the sacrificial system (Leviticus 16). There, the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the hilastērion — the “mercy seat” or cover of the Ark of the Covenant — symbolizing God’s merciful covering of Israel’s sins.
This means the tax collector is not merely asking for general kindness; he is invoking the language of atonement. His plea is not “God, please be nice to me” but “God, make me right with you through your mercy.”
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
Jesus’ conclusion is a radical reversal of expectations. There is no question about which of these men has lived a righteous life and which has not.
He startles the audience by having the Pharisee the villain of the piece, and the despised tax collector the hero.
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Though the Pharisee lived an upright life, pride and contempt poisoned his prayer. He asked for nothing and received nothing, for his self-congratulation left no room for God.
The tax collector, by contrast, confessed his sinfulness and begged for mercy. His humility opened the way for God’s forgiveness, and his prayer was answered.
The Pharisee’s mistake was not his good works but his reliance on himself and his disdain for others. The tax collector’s justification came through humility, which allowed God’s mercy to work.
Jesus’ conclusion is a sharp warning: self-righteousness blocks authentic prayer and communion with God, while humility draws down his grace (1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6).
If we hear this parable and think, “Thank God I am not like that Pharisee,” then the lesson is aimed at us as much as at Jesus’ first listeners.
Connections and Themes
God hears the cry of the humble. This week’s readings invite us to reflect on the proper attitude of prayer rather than prayer itself. In the first reading, Sirach assures us that “the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” In the Gospel, Jesus points to a despised tax collector as the true model of such prayer. Unlike the Pharisee, who boasts of his virtue and looks only to himself, the tax collector knows who he is before God: a sinner in need of mercy. His words are few, but they flow from a contrite heart that neither excuses nor denies guilt. Though he cannot lift his eyes to heaven, he looks more truly to God than the Pharisee ever does. This is the attitude Jesus commends.
What moves God is not polished words or outward piety but humble honesty — the willingness to admit our weakness and trust his mercy as our only hope. Those who lower themselves before him will be lifted up, justified, and strengthened in his love.
The pitfalls of self-righteousness. The Pharisee in Jesus’ parable believes his religious practices secure God’s favor, but he fails to see that righteousness is never our own achievement. Sirach reminds us that God is a just judge who shows no partiality, and Paul affirms the same truth: the “crown of righteousness” awaits him not through his own strength, but because the Lord has rescued him. Holiness does not come from tallying up our works or comparing ourselves with others, but from entrusting ourselves to the God who justifies.
Yet it is all too easy for us to slip into the Pharisee’s mindset. Our very zeal and commitment can plant seeds of spiritual pride: we work hard to be faithful, we succeed in avoiding certain sins, and little by little we begin to look down on those who struggle where we do not. The danger is subtle, because there is enough truth in every step along the way to make it hard to notice when self-righteousness creeps in. When we fall into this trap, we have forgotten the most basic truth of all: God is God, and we are not.
Justification is not an equitable return for a job well done; it is a gift from God.
An example to follow. Paul’s prayer in the second reading shows us the balance Jesus desires. Like the Pharisee, he acknowledges his success: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” But unlike the Pharisee, Paul does not exalt himself or claim credit. Instead, he speaks with the humility of the tax collector, recognizing that it is God who has made his faithfulness possible.
This combination is exactly what Jesus calls us to in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector: confident prayer that springs from a humble heart. We need not deny the good we have done, for God has indeed worked through our efforts and our faithfulness. But we must hold this truth alongside the recognition that everything comes from God’s mercy and grace. Such prayer, both confident and humble, gives glory to God while shaping us into people who live in gratitude, trust, and hope.
Sunday Readings 