The “tax collector” who is presented to us by Jesus in the parable of this one What can Sunday teach us? Conscious of the sins he does not have nothing to list unlike the Pharisee. The list would perhaps be too much long and certainly not honorable like that of one who “standing” I rattled off his merits before God, while he keeps well “at a distance”. Yet, the outcome of the parable seems that the Lord distances himself from the Pharisee and approach, instead, the tax collector who truly has the divine presence e knowingly need. It seems that the word of Sirach is fulfilled at on the contrary: “for him there is no preference of people”, says the first reading of today. The Lord draws nearer and nearer, as Paul now testifies in the process of being “poured on offer”, to those who feel further away enough to keep at a distance. Paul, the convinced and ardent Pharisee, reminds us with his experience that it is possible to let the they publish through whose humble and true prayer the Lord can finally save our life enough to be “justified” in the awareness of not being right. Paolo reminds us, not only with the word, but first of all with the testimony of his life, which is possible let the figure of the publican emerge in us that we are in spite of the Pharisee who always tries to take the whole scene. Humble prayer “Does not calm down” and “does not give up – until the Most High intervenes” – from recompose the right proportions of our way of considering ourselves learning that we can in no way be judges of others.

Commentary by b. Michael David, osb Novalesa Abbey

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey