Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, each and every one of us are reminded through the readings of the Sacred Scriptures to continue serving the Lord our God faithfully and trusting in Him wholeheartedly because He loves each and every one of us and He can see all that we need, all the things that are blocking us and preventing us from coming towards Him. He knows us all very well in and out, everything that we are, and even things that we may not be fully aware of. That is why we are reminded this Lent to be more attuned to the Lord and to follow Him ever more faithfully in each and every moments in our lives, this Lent and beyond.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Hosea, we heard about the words of the Lord delivered to His people through His prophet, whom He sent to minister to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. The Lord has foretold the destruction and downfall of Israel because of their repeated disobedience and wrongdoings, their lack of faith and trust in Him. However, as we also heard in our reading yesterday and today both, God also reassured them all with His love and commitment, as per the Covenant He had made with their ancestors. God still loved them regardless of their sins and mistakes, and He would not abandon them in the manner that they had abandoned Him first.

That was why He told them all just as He was calling on each one of them to return to Him, that He would restore them all once again in honour and grace, allowing them to rebuild their lives and their cities once again after they had suffered the period of misfortune and difficulties in the future. He would gather them all once again after they had been scattered all over the world, and they would once again be His beloved people. All these would indeed came to fruition and fulfilment over the next few decades and centuries, as the people of God gradually and eventually repented from their sinful ways, and eventually found their way back to God’s grace. It is also therefore a reminder for all of us to do the same for ourselves as well.

Then from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the Lord Jesus telling His disciples using the well-known parable of a tax collector who prayed together with a Pharisee in the Temple of God. In that parable we heard how the Pharisee praised himself for all of his deeds and works, all of his pious efforts and then the same Pharisee also sneered and looked down on the tax collector, full of self-praise and pride, thinking that he was better over that tax collector. Meanwhile, the tax collector as we heard, humbled himself and was so apologetic and repentant before God, and the Lord praised the faith of the tax collector, his humility and desire to seek God as opposed to the self-aggrandising and proud attitude of the Pharisee.

In this Gospel passage and parable we are reminded that each and every one of us should not think that we are better in any way than others, especially with regards to our spiritual nature and relationship with God. We should not think that we are in any way better or superior than others, or be prejudiced or biased against anyone because we disagree with them or disapprove of them. We must remember first and foremost that God loves each and every one of us equally and unconditionally, and He does not play preferences or have any bias or prejudice against any of us. Even the greatest of sinners are deserving of God’s great and ever enduring love, and we cannot assume that we are better or less a sinner than another person.

Instead of the pride which blinded us all to God’s love and truth, to His mercy and forgiveness, let us all be more humble like the tax collector, who recognised his faults, mistakes and sins before the Lord. God knows all of our good actions and deeds, and also all of our wicked deeds and failures, and hence there is really no need for us to boast about our good deeds before Him. This is even worse still if we choose to boast over our prejudiced and judgmental attitudes over others just as the Pharisee had done. Rather, let us all trust in God’s mercy and compassion ever more from now on, knowing that no matter how great our sins may be, but if we put ourselves in His mercy, God will heal us and bring us back to His loving Presence.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s Scripture readings are important reminders for each and every one of us that we should not allow ourselves to be taken by our pride and ego within us that we fail to see that we ourselves are in need of God’s mercy and healing, and that each and every one of us are equally beloved by God, and His love is not something that we can consider in transactional way or in any way to boast over one another. Let us all remember instead just how lovingly God has treated us with, and how generous He has always been with His kindness, love and all that He has shown us all these while despite our many trespasses against Him and our stubborn attitudes and behaviours.

May the Lord our most loving and compassionate God Who always sees our hearts and minds, and Who has always cared for each and every one of us patiently all these while, continue to provide for us, show us His most generous mercy and love as we come towards Him with contrite and sorrowful hearts, seeking Him earnestly so that we may be healed from the afflictions affecting us, particularly those of our sins and wickedness. May God be with us always throughout this time of Lent and beyond, helping us to persevere and to continue moving forward in life with faith. May He continue to bless our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen.