One of the objectives of proclaiming and sharing the word of God is to bring listeners to conversion after a personal effort which boils down to deep regret for what one had to do and asking for forgiveness in order to enjoy more of this joy reserved for those who choose to put their trust in God. It is therefore not simply a matter of regretting but of sincerely regretting. In other words, it is about having a deep desire to change things, to change our conditions, to come out of a state of total or partial unhappiness to a feeling of total well-being.
The one whom the Gospel of Luke calls “the lost son (Good News Bible with Deuterocanonical Books)” made the choice to return to his father because he really regretted what he had done. What had he done? His older brother lets us know: he “wasted all your property on prostitutes” (Luke 15, 30, Good News Bible with Deuterocanonical Books). Is it wrong to squander your inheritance on prostitutes?
The power of a sincere desire for change
By rereading the story from beginning to end, we will see that this situation is not serious enough to constitute a tragedy. In fact, for one who seeks God's mercy there is never a gravity that cannot be forgiven.
Men certainly commit on abominable acts, but there is no abomination that resists sincere contrition. If we consider that this child's act is not unforgivable, it is because we know that God's mercy is unfathomable. But that doesn't mean that the act isn't bad in itself. To deny that evil exists is to be disconnected from reality. But being aware of the existence of evil in Us and in the environment in which we live helps us not to condone scandals or abominations, but to have a deep respect for sincere contrition. Yes indeed because we live in a world where sin is increasingly trivialized. Some people are no longer even aware of it to the point where it has become second nature to them. Those who are aware of this sometimes feel contempt towards those who do not behave like them without knowing that they also have responsibilities towards them just as the latter will also have responsibilities to assume towards others.
During what we prefer to call an educational theatre scene narrated by Jesus and reported by Saint Luke in chapter 18 from verses eleven to twelve, a Pharisee declares: "God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, [while surely looking around him he certainly sees a publican and this inspires him more and he continues] or even like this tax collector. [He does not hesitate to praise his merits and continues] I fast twice a week; I pay tithe of all that I get. » (The New American Standard Bible)
Two complementary scenarios
Although this prayer is imperfect and very often criticized by some, we particularly appreciate it. In fact, this Pharisee is not disconnected from reality. What he says is only the consequence of what he sees on a daily basis. Additionally, fasting and tithing are requirements for all who call themselves children of God. What is missing from this prayer of thanksgiving is what is perhaps also found in another form in this Pharisee and which he seems to see only in the publican. What is it about? In fact, even if today the children of God are forgiven sinners, sin is a reality of the daily life of every Men. In other words, as long as we are on earth, we will always have to do what is unpleasant in the eyes of God. Whether we are good or bad, less good or less bad, just or unjust, we will not always do what is right in the eyes of God.
The publican is a public man, that is to say, everybody sees the harm he does on a daily basis. But if that is the case, who sees the evil we do in the privacy of our hearts or in private? It is in this sense that the prayer of the publican perfects that of the Pharisee. To be more explicit we will say that the Pharisee prayed a very good, imperfect prayer which was made perfect by that of the publican. We must therefore no longer only see these two scenes as different cases but as complementary prayers from which we should always draw inspiration to, in our opinion, make complete and perfect prayers.
The prayer of the publican perfects that of the Pharisee just as that of the Pharisee can perfect that of the publican. Indeed, you cannot offer a prayer of thanksgiving while despising others or those who are not like you and who like you also need to experience God's mercy in their lives. If God has granted us the privilege or the merit of having an existence different from that of others, this does not mean that we are exempt from all reproach. And since we are beings who, like others, need God's mercy, we cannot be satisfied with a prayer that praises our merits while speaking of others as if they were on a dead end road unlike we who are good and always righteous before God. The fact of living in joy does not mean that we no longer need to be forgiven on a daily basis like all those who in our opinion are certainly unjust before God but also seek his face to get out of the situation in which they find themselves.
The prayer of the Pharisee lets the publican know the advantage of being a child of God and that of the publican reminds the Pharisee of what he also is even if he has the grace to enjoy a certain privilege. So, my thanksgiving should not be done without taking into account the fact that God had to show mercy to the sinner that I also am. It is this same path of God's mercy that the "righteous" have the duty to seek on a daily basis that the "unrighteous" must also seek because if it is true that I am a predator, an unjust, an adulterer or a prostitute, well, as the publican says in verse 13: “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. » (New living Translation Bible)
What we sometimes hate in others is only a reflection of what is sometimes found in ourselves in other forms. It is not a question of encouraging Mens in their blunders. It’s simply about learning to look at yourself before looking at or judging others. In other words, “cast out first the beam in thy own eye, and then shalt to see to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” ([Matthew 7, 5 Douay-Rheims Bible)
Also read: Conversion of sinners: a divine grace offered to the free will of Men
It is an activity that is not easy and involves praying for ourselves and entrusting others to the mercy of God. Indeed, if Jesus recommends that we pray for our enemies or for those who persecute us (Matthew 5, 44), it is because he knows that we cannot do it by our own strength. It is a divine grace. You cannot be in an environment where an individual is committing abominations and you are asked to pray for that person. Without help from above you cannot. In such a case where some people will ask to forgive and to pray for the person, others will rather ask that justice be done first before thinking of God's mercy. Still others will not even want to hear this words because “God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been mercy.” » ([James 2, 13] Good News Bible with Deuterocanonical Books)
He (the offender) must be apprehended and imprisoned for the evil he has done. If after having meditated on his fate he really wants to change he only has to sincerely do like the younger son and say : “Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son. » ([Luc15, 21] Good News Bible with Deuterocanonical Books)
It is by having deep regret for the evil we have had to do that we show ourselves worthy of being called a child of God. It’s too easy to ask for forgiveness from others when you recognize having done wrong. Even if it is a significant step, the most important thing is the efforts we must make to change. We cannot enjoy God's spiritual gifts without making efforts to change. We must avoid taking God for an idiot by taking those who continually agree to forgive us as idiots. We must demonstrate through concrete and continuous actions our real desire to want to change in order to truly be forgiven.
English|French
