Jesus tells a parable about those who are convinced of their own righteousness - and it is about a Pharisee and a tax collector. I would like, first, to tell a story about two pieces of rock! Then later we can come back to the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Pumice is a pretty, porous rock, whose main purpose after it is spewed forth from an explosive volcanic eruption is to be beautiful, and potentially useful in a variety of ways as an abrasive. It is useful for scrubbing, cleaning and making life easier around the house. It comes in various colors - such as white, cream, grey, brown and black. It has a shiny, glassy appearance in its natural state - and if it could think, it would, most likely, think itself quite a handsome specimen.
Coal is another kind of rock. It is a fossil-fuel and is readily combustible. In harder forms it can withstand elevated temperatures and pressure. It is the largest single provider of electricity in the world, but also the largest producer of carbon monoxide emissions which contribute to global warming.
In our gospel passage today, I should think that the “puffed-up, pretty-in- white-character” might be the Pharisee of Jesus’ parable. The Pharisee thinks that he is the epitome of religious rightness and that the problem with most people is that they are not more like him! He is very helpful – in his own abrasive way - with telling other people how to take care of themselves and their houses and their lives - but he does not lift a finger to help them or to scrub out the scum inside of his own life. Jesus, in another place, calls Pharisees “whitened sepulchers” - all glassy and shiny on the outside, but full of “dead men’s bones” on the inside. This Pharisee’s temple visit today was totally meaningless and even sacrilegious.
The tax collector resembles the other rock, the piece of coal! Though there was some deviousness about what he did for a living - working for the Roman occupation government - while not emitting carbon monoxide into the air - he still was emitting a sharp, acrid odor of dishonesty, fraud and self-aggrandizement! Tax collectors were hated by the Jews - especially the ones who were traitors - those who were Jews themselves, who made profit from gouging and making life miserable for their own people!
How this all ties together, is this: when Jesus became present to the Pharisees and the tax collectors, there were two different responses to him. Most of the Pharisees did not like him - they felt threatened by him; most of the tax collectors liked him - because he did not judge them - he even ate with them! In time, the pressure and temperature of the climate of the Kingdom of God, announced and becoming a reality in Jesus himself - made most of the Pharisees feel like they were crumbling - like disintegrating pieces of pretty, pale pumice. But, the same pressure and temperature modification turned the coal, of at least this one the tax collector, into a diamond!
And so, we can see clearly that those who exalt themselves will be humbled - by the intensity and fire of God’s loving presence – especially that of the Holy Spirit; and those who humble themselves will be exalted: they will become as diamonds who sparkle and shine in the night of a depraved world, radiating the very Light of the Son of God, himself!
In our responsorial refrain today we sang: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. He does! He always does. He heard the cry of the repentant tax collector - who could not really even raise his eyes to God, and who beat his breast when he realized just who and what he was in relation to the great and powerful, but o so tender and loving God! He hears the cry of all of us, who try to see ourselves as we really are in his sight
It is not easy to stay the course, as St. Paul intimates in the second reading today. It is not always pleasant to look in the mirror and see ourselves as we really are. But if we do not also see ourselves as beloved children of God (as St. Paul definitely did do) - children for whom our Father would, and does do, whatever he can to help guide us home to him - to help us finish the race -then we are not seeing correctly! Every peek in the mirror ought to bring a smile to our face!
The ultimate goal of all of human life is to behold the graciousness of God for ever! If we can remember that, make that the reason for our hope, make it the motivation for all we do - then we will be like diamonds in the tiara of our Lord and Brother, our Savior and our Friend: JESUS CHRIST, when he assumes his role as King of heaven and earth at the end of time. Amen!
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