“Jesus tells us about two men who go to the temple to pray.
The first man is a Pharisee. He stands proudly and begins to pray: “Lord, I thank you that I am not like other people.”
Then he lists his good deeds. He fasts. He gives tithes. He follows the rules.
On the outside, he seems like a very religious man. But there is one thing missing in his prayer—humility.
The second man is a tax collector. In the time of Jesus, tax collectors were considered sinners. People looked down on them.
This man stands far away. He does not even dare to lift his eyes to heaven. He simply beats his breast and says: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
And Jesus tells us that this man—the tax collector—goes home justified before God.
Why? Because God listens not to the proud heart, but to the humble heart.
My dear friends, this Gospel is very appropriate during this season of Lent.
During Lent we pray more, we fast, we make sacrifices. But Lent is not about proving that we are better than others.
Lent is about recognizing that we need God’s mercy.
The tax collector shows us the true spirit of Lent. He does not pretend to be perfect. He simply stands before God as he is—a sinner who needs mercy.
And that kind of prayer always touches the heart of God.
That is why Lent is also a good time to go to Confession. When we humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness, God always welcomes us and gives us a new beginning.
And so Jesus reminds us today: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
During this Lenten season, let us ask the Lord for a humble heart—a heart that trusts not in its own goodness, but in the mercy of God.”