The prayer of the proud man...
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Such was the prayer of the Pharisee in the Temple (cf. Saint Luke 18:10). He was not looking at God, he was looking at himself, and he expected God to do the same. The condemnation of the meek and humble Saviour of this ‘other’ is well known. It showed all too clearly what our Lord thought of such an attitude, which the commentators on the Gospel do not always make enough of.
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Our Lord's words were devastating: ‘I say to you: this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other’ (Saint Luke 18:14). The prayer of the Pharisee followed the line of his thought. He assumed a place of preference on earth, and seemed to think he would occupy the same in heaven. The contrast between himself and the publican, the only representative of the human race present, showed up his superiority. Jesus took up the comparison but, with one word, turned the tables on the proud Pharisee. But what a word! He is now simply one who knew not how to achieve his being by freeing himself from himself and entering into the truth of God.
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You thought you were rich and had need of nothing, and knew not that you were wretched and miserable, poor and blind and naked (cf. Revelation 3:17). - Dom Augustin Guillerand: Excerpt from Secret Harbor blog.
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Art: Old Beggar With Boy - Pablo Picasso, 1903
It look liike little dude is eating a Twinkie.
ReplyDeleteLovely Picasso--that is from his Blue period correct??
ReplyDeleteSara
I think so Sara - it's rather haunting isn't it.
ReplyDeletePicasso's Blue Period is something to marvel at. This very well put-together video fron YouTube contains images from that stage of Picasso's life. The music goes very well with the presentation.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWJS7kbI20k&feature=PlayList&p=CE3EAAD3AEA0F622&index=4
Thom: We may have to resort to eating "Twinkies" here; they're probably cheaper than decent food...
ReplyDeletepoor, yeah;
great to theologize upon;
not so great to actually live, unless you're a saint (which I am not, yet,...oi!).
I sometimes hate poverty; and yet, I know I should love it, because it helps me to be like Jesus; but I fight a lot; there are days (please don't be scandalized) when I wonder, what the H*** did I do?
Why did I commit myself to depending completely upon God and it just goes from bad to worse?
It's probably like having six, ten, twelve children...you sometimes wonder, "What was I thinking?"...but God is ever-greater.
And He does provide.
Just in time.
Always.
I better pray some more!:<)!