Humility And Grace

Last updated on: January 24, 2021 at 4:04 am by Henry Karlson

Humility And Grace 2021-01-24T04:04:33-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rvalette: Pharisee and the Publican / Wikimedia Commons

Preparing the faithful for the Great and Holy Fast (Great Lent), the Byzantine tradition gives us various Sundays with spiritual lessons and teachings which remind us of our need for grace. We are not to presume too much about ourselves based upon our spiritual disciplines. We learn this especially this week with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisees, a Sunday which reminds us that we should not become prideful, thinking we can and will be justified before God because of the good things which we have done. Instead, we must recognize that whatever good we have done, whatever good we have in us, comes from God, who is the source and foundation for every good. We must humbly acknowledge God’s role in our lives. We must accept that all justification comes from and through God. Of course, we have a role in that justification, for we must cooperate with God’s grace, but what is important is that we realize we cannot achieve it all by ourselves. We are limited in what we can do, and if we want to get beyond that limit, we must open ourselves to God’s grace, to allow it to penetrate us and transform us from within. On the other hand, if we become too self-absorbed, prideful of our accomplishments, we cut it off from our lives; then, we will not be able to be justified because we try to justify ourselves instead of receive such justification from God’s merciful grace. This how the Pharisee in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee erred and why he was not able to be justified:

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted (Lk. 18:1-14 RSV).

When we let pride take over our soul, when we think too greatly of ourselves, it will show in the way we treat others. We will judge them based upon our own accomplishments. We will be glad we are not like them, that we have made something of ourselves, something worthwhile and praiseworthy which we believe should be acknowledged by all. Likewise, we will think that if someone does not measure up to us, there is something wrong with them, and we will end up being glad we are not like them. We will praise ourselves all the way to God while looking down upon others; we might not condemn them, but we will certainly think they are not worthy of any honor or respect. The Pharisee, fasting twice a week, giving even a little of the money which he had, thought he was better than others, proving he was spiritually poor: “The Pharisee was a poor man that is proud: poor, because he left an opening whereby thieves entered and stole all his goods; proud, because he got above himself when he thought himself better than others. A proud man is poor, because he lacks the riches of humility, the lack of which leaves one supremely wretched.” [1]

Humility is important. It is much more important than fasting. Fasting when used as a tool to make ourselves look greater than others does not follow the true spirit of the fast. Rather, it abuses the fast, ignoring the principle and intention of the fast itself. Fasting should help us realize our proper relationship with God and each other. Through fasting, we should discern more about ourselves and our potential, to see the limits of that potential, which then should have us reach out to God and to each other so that we can receive from God and others what we do not have from ourselves. Justification is possible with grace, but if we are so attached to ourselves we do not think we need anything from anyone we will deny grace, and without it, we cannot be justified, for without it, we will be far from the perfection needed for such justification. “The Pharisee suffered from this disease, and this is why he went down not justified, because he attributed his good qualities to himself alone, and looked down on the publican.”[2] It is humility which brings salvation, for it is humility which recognizes the need for grace, the need for external aid; if we are too prideful to ask for it, if we are so prideful that we think we do not need it, we will end up like the Pharisee, going out, thinking we are great as we are, and so as never looking for or receiving the justification which we need.

It is not going to be easy. We must be humble, and that means, we must sometimes accept that things will not go as we wish. We cannot place undue demands on God. We mut be open to God, open to God’s love, open to God’s grace. It will come, because it is already there; the potential has to be actualized with our cooperation with it. This is why the fast can be invaluable. It is a way for us to learn how to discipline ourselves so we can properly cooperate with God’s grace. It should help us overcome inordinate desires, but this is possible only if we keep the fast with a spirit of humility. If we try to prove ourselves superior to others by the way we fast, the fast is worthless, as we end up feasting on our pride, gorging ourselves with accolades, and becoming fat with smugness

The Publican shows us the spirit which we should possess, one of great humility, one which looks up to God and says, “Lord, have mercy!” We need mercy, and we will get it if we ourselves are merciful. We need love, and we will get it if we ourselves are loving. We need grace, and we will get it if we ourselves are graceful, always doing what we can to lift others up instead of pushing them down. Of course, most of us have a mix of the Publican and the Pharisee in us. We realize, to some degree, our need for mercy, and we get it insofar we act upon that need; but we also tend to be selfish, looking to lift ourselves up over others, and in doing so, we find ourselves falling off the path of righteousness, proving we truly are the ones who need such mercy. As we prepare for the fast, let us keep in mind the value of humility, and work to increase it in ourselves so that once we leave the world at the end of our lives we find ourselves justified with grace and receive the blessings of the kingdom of God.

[1] St. Anthony of Padua, Sermons for Sundays and Festivals. Volume II. trans. Paul Spilsbury (Padova: Edizioni Messaggero Padova, 2007), 275.

[2] St. Anthony of Padua, Sermons for Sundays and Festivals. Volume II, 273.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee

Previous Post

January 21, 2021

Unity After Trump

Next Post

January 25, 2021 Human Nature

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz