20251026 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings at USCCB.org | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102625.cfm

To Be Real, with a Pure Heart

Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Then Jesus told his story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people - cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”...

In this week’s Sunday gospel reading, Jesus tells a story about two men going to the Temple to pray. One being a Pharisee, who was a religious leader who followed God’s rules, and the other being a Tax Collector, who was seen as corrupt and sinful. The Pharisee proudly thanked God that he wasn’t like other people - sinners, cheaters, or even like the tax collector. He listed all the good things he did, like fasting and giving 10% of his earnings. Meanwhile, the tax collector stood at a distance, feeling unworthy to even look up to heaven. He humbly prayed “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus then explained that it was the Tax Collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God. He ended the story by saying, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

In this parable, I believe Jesus is teaching us that God values humility over pride and sincerity over self-righteousness. The Pharisee focused on comparing himself to others and boasting about his good deeds, while the Tax Collector recognized his own faults and asked for mercy. Jesus shows that true righteousness isn’t about appearing holy or doing good things to make us look better than others, but it’s about having a humble heart that admits the need of God. This passage also reminds us not to judge others. Sometimes, the people we look down on tend to have a closer heart to God than we realize. In the end, God looks at the intentions and honesty within our hearts.

In today’s world of social media, it’s easy to act like the Pharisee showing only the best parts of ourselves and comparing our lives to others. We post highlights of our achievements, vacations, and moments that make us look like we have it all together. But behind the filters and captions, many of us are struggling, insecure, or searching for validation. This parable reminds us that God doesn’t scroll through our highlights in life, but he looks at our hearts directly. He’s not impressed by how perfect our lives appear, but by how honest and humble we are with him. This story challenges us to pray more like the tax collector with honesty and humility, and to stop comparing our own journey to others. 

This gospel can be set as a reminder for our relationship with God grows not through perfection, but through honesty. From now on, I want to focus less on how others see me and more on how God sees my heart. Whether in prayer, conversations, or even on social media, I want to approach life with a pure heart. To be real, and not to perform. Because at the end of the day, God values a sincere heart far more than a polished one.

--AJ