God listens to the humble of heart

Sirach 35:12-14.16-19; Psalm 32; 2da: 2Timothy 4: 6-8.16-19; Luke 18: 9-14

Dear friends in Christ, on this 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings remind us that God listens not to the proud but to the humble. They invite us to look within, to live with honesty, humility, and trust in God’s mercy that never fails.

The first reading is taken from the book of Sirach which was written during the second temple period. A time in Jewish history around 200 BC when Greek culture and ideas were changing society and many Jews wondered how to remain faithful to God. It was a time when many people believed that wealth and offerings could win God’s favor. Sirach wanted to offer practical wisdom rooted in Israel’s tradition, showing people that God is fair and not influenced by wealth or power. Ben Sirach boldly proclaimed that God cannot be bribed. He is a God of justice, one who listens especially to the poor, the orphan and the widow. The powerful might think their influence gives them special access to heaven. But Sirach says clearly, “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.” It means that God hears and responds to the cries of those who are hurting. It means that no one is too small or too forgotten to be heard by God. When we cry out to him in pain, confusion or loneliness, he listens. He may seem silent for a while, but Sirach assures us that God will not delay. Justice may take time, but it will come for us one day. Sirach invites us to evaluate how we treat those who are vulnerable around us. Are we just and fair to others? Or do we ignore their cries? Sirach invites us to trust that God always hears the humble even when it seems like nothing is happening. When we feel powerless or wronged like the widow in the passage, our honest prayers matter. They reach God. This passage encourages us to pray with humility and care for those in need, trusting that God’s mercy breaks through even in the driest moments.     

In the second reading, the Apostle Paul writes what feels like his farewell letter. He knows his life is nearing its end and he looks back not with regret but with deep peace. He sees his whole life as an offering to God. He has fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. These are not words of pride but of gratitude. Paul recognizes that his strength came from God alone. The crown of righteousness he speaks about is not a reward for his achievements but a gift from the Lord who is faithful. Paul knows that God’s justice is filled with mercy. The same crown awaits all who remain faithful to Christ until the end. Paul also remembers how everyone abandoned him when he faced trial. Yet he does not hold anger or bitterness. Instead, he says, “May it not be held against them.” His heart reflects the forgiving heart of Christ. He adds, “But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength.” Even when human support failed, God’s presence never left him. Paul’s words remind us that faithfulness matters more than success or recognition. Like him, we are called to run the race of life with perseverance and love, trusting that God will complete what he began in us. There will be times when others fail us or when we feel alone. But those are the very moments when God stands closest. What gave Paul such confidence coming to the end of the road? He lived a life of humility and the fear of God. If we are already living a good and humble life, we must not stop. Instead, we must struggle to the end and the finish line. So, we too can confidently say: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith for the Lord who stood by Paul will surely stand by us too.

A photographer once spent hours trying to capture a perfect sunset. No matter how many shots he took, the images looked dull and blurry. Frustrated, he blamed the lighting, the camera, even the weather. Then a friend quietly pointed out, “Your lens is dirty.” The photographer wiped it and suddenly he got the perfect shot. The world looked clear and beautiful again. The problem wasn’t outside. It was right there on his lens. In today’s gospel taken from Luke, Jesus tells the parable of two men who went to the temple to pray; a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee stood confidently listing his good deeds and expressing his superiority over others. The tax collector, however, stayed at a distance. Not even looking up to heaven, he asked for forgiveness. Jesus makes it clear it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God. This parable exposes the way we often measure ourselves against others. It’s so easy to spot what’s wrong in someone else, but far harder to come face to face with our own flaws. The Pharisee used comparison as a way to feel righteous. But the tax collector looked into his own soul and realized that humility was his only path. Jesus reminds us that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

The tax collector’s prayer might have seemed small, but it was honest. God honors that kind of truth. The challenge is to live this out daily. When was the last time I looked at someone and felt superior? Before jumping to conclusions about someone’s life, choices or pace, what if we paused to remember our own journey? What if our prayers instead of declaring how good we’ve been began with gratitude for God’s patience with us? This parable invites us to pray not like the Pharisee who looks around but like the tax collector who looks within. God doesn’t seek perfect people. He seeks honest hearts. When we acknowledge our weaknesses, we discover his mercy. When we stop judging others, we begin to look more deeply. This week, let’s try to clean our inner lens. To pray less about others faults and more about our own need for mercy. For it is the humble heart that finds peace and goes home justified before God.