The Virtue of Humility

According to the Byzantine-Slavonic rite, the start of the lenten liturgical cycle of worship began this past Sunday. The Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee initiates the use of the Lenten Triodion, the liturgical book comprising the services of Great Lent.

The focus of this past Sunday was on the Gospel of Luke 18:10-14, in which two men went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, an externally decent and righteous man of religion, and the other was a Publican, a sinful tax-collector, who was cheating the people.

Although the Pharisee was genuinely righteous under the Law, he boasted before God and was condemned. The Publican, although he was truly sinful, begged for mercy, received it, and was justified by God. The Pharisee was judgmental; the Publican was humble.

The nature of judgment is grounded in pride and arrogance. A judgmental person almost always exhibits a sense of condescension. Judgment conveys an attitude of superiority. Very few, if any, people are ever converted by judgment, shame, or condemnation. Humility, by contrast, fosters empathy and manifests grace. A spirit of humility has the power to pierce the hardest of hearts.

During this first pre-lenten week, let us emulate the humility of the Publican, praying “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

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