The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

March 16, 2015

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

A reading from the Gospel of Saint Luke 18, 9 – 14:

Jesus then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity–greedy, dishonest, adulterous–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself with be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

I thank the few people who sent me some money yesterday. Friday is coming and I need this last part of the money if I am going to get the money that I was promised. I hope this will be the last amount to pay before the money comes in. I thank you all for your help and I pray for you all every day.

Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,

“Be humble My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who love your Heavenly Father and I His Son. You read the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee was full of pride and showing off before His Father that he follows everything very well and he says that he is happy that he is not like the tax collector. However, the tax collector is very humble and he knows that he is a sinner so his words are these: ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ It was the tax collector who was blessed by the Father for his humility.
My dear friends, I call you all to imitate the tax collector. Know that you are sinners and so pray for mercy so that the Father will forgive you and give you the strength and the graces you need to follow Him in the future. Do not look at yourself as being better than other people. You are all sinners so be humble and see yourself as less worthy than any other. In this way, I will bless you and give you My love, peace and joy. I love you all.”

Father Melvin