Sunday of The Publican and Pharisee Homily

Paul’s second letter to Timothy is in line with his first, in that he is affirming Timothy in his faith, and reassuring him of what is necessary to be a true Shepherd of Christ’s flock. Paul is writing from his imprisonment by the Romans, and exhorts Timothy to hold to the true doctrines that Paul has taught him. Paul assures Timothy, and assures us, that when we hold to these true doctrines of Christ, and to the true doctrines of the Church that have been inspired by the Holy Spirit, then we will experience a variety of effects: we will teach others these truths, we will live well according to God’s commands, we will have faith, patience, love, & steadfastness, and we will endure persecutions and suffering. Paul says, “indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
But who wants to endure suffering? Who wants to offer their lives to God as a sacrifice? Who wants to give up the comfort of simple faith, the comfort and social stability of acquiescing to the notion that our faith can be only a private matter? Who wants to put targets on themselves, by saying that they believe in One God, Father Almighty, and in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and all that it teaches? Who wants to do this, especially when the prevailing voices of our society are vehemently against these beliefs? In the next paragraph Paul says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and will wander into myths” (2Tim 4:3-4). Who wants to listen to the truth, when they could more easily be affirmed and encouraged to sin? Who wants to listen to the truth, when the truth will bring persecutions and earthly suffering? Those, who desire with all their heart, “to live a godly life in Christ Jesus,” will have no doubts about their belief in the absolute Truth of God, and will willingly suffer persecution in order to receive a crown of righteousness in heaven.
But to live a godly life, we must continue what we have learned, and not push it aside because of fleeting emotions, or worse, disordered passions. We are called to adhere to each commandment of Christ: to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind, and our neighbor as ourself (Lk 10:27). We are called to boldly preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and everything that we have learned from Sacred Scripture that directs us to salvation. We must adhere to all of this, but if we are unsure about exactly what God wants of us, if we are unsure about God’s plan for our lives, if we are unsure about this One truth that leads to salvation, then we must embark on this journey ourselves, we must read the words of Christ for ourselves, and allow God to transform us and to give us courage through Him.
When we read the Word of God with faith for ourselves, then we can easily see how the humble repentance of the Tax Collector is more acceptable to God than the boastfulness of the self-righteous Pharisee. When we humble ourselves, and sacrifice our time and our pride, to personally read these words of salvation, then we will be exalted by God and fully equipped for the task ahead of us, and will not be afraid of the persecution that will come our way. For Paul says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2Tim. 3:16-17).

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