Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Only a couple of weeks ago that the acclaimed British actress Patricia Routledge passed away. Though she was an accomplished stage and screen performer, an award-winning opera singer, and a Dame Commander of the British Empire, she is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket (which she insisted was pronounced Bouquet), a working-class girl married to a middle-class husband, desperate to gain social standing and be accepted into the 'better class'.

The life of Hyacinth Bucket-Bouquet was a told in a series of farcical tales that continually brought her back down to earth, despite her best efforts at Keeping Up Appearances.

It is this character that comes to mind when I read this Sunday's Gospel about the two men that came to pray in the temple - the Pharisee who makes a show of giving thanks to God for making him such a paragon of virtue, and the humble tax collector who asks God's mercy for his sins.

Jesus uses this parable to challenge the perceptions of his audience and encourage them to cultivate humility in their relationship with God and others. And, importantly, to discourage them from hubris, and looking down on others.

Be humble, the parable suggests, or expect to be humbled by God.

As I reflect on this though, I cannot picture a situation in which God lifts one man up above the other, nor deliberately buries one below the rest. Rather I imagine a levelling out, where one is humbled and the other raised up until their situation reflects their shared dignity as children of God.

The challenge that the parable presents, as I read it, is for us to work on levelling things out ourselves. Not waiting on God's judgment to do it for us. After all, we are all the sinful tax-collector sometimes, and we're all the self-important Pharisee at others.

As we listen to the parable this Sunday, I pray that I can have the self-awareness to catch myself out when I am too much the Pharisee, and the openness of heart to reach out to those who need a hand up. To put myself at rights with the world around me, if I want to be at rights with God.

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Scripture Reflections Seeking Understanding

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