2’S

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3 Saturday in Lent is, “2’s”

Here’s another one in today’s gospel.

“Two people  went up to the temple area to pray: one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.”

That’s a 2.

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

Two teaching tricks for  2’s are comparison and contrast.

The teacher presents two different characters - contrasts both of them - making them very different - and then asks the student to compare both of them and then learn from the differences.  Hopefully, we see ourselves in the story.

JESUS GAVE US SEVERAL  2’S

Jesus gave us various  2’s, He also gave us 3’s and 4’s as well - but this morning I’m just going with 2’s.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells us about a man who had 2 sons. One son messed up big time. The other was a goody goody.  When the bad son - who is the youngest - came home - out of selfishness and stupidity - he gets welcomed home by his dad - who throws him a party and celebrates his return. However,  the older brother won’t forgive the younger brother or go into the house to welcome his brother home.  

They are complete opposites. Jesus contrasts them big time and asks us to compare ourselves with both. Who am I like?

In Matthew 25 we hear about God the Great Shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. He is asking us to see the contrast between both and compare ourselves - to see if I’m a sheep or a goat. If  I feed  the hungry,  get someone who is a thirsty something to drink, if I visit the sick or those imprisoned, then I’m a sheep.  Or am I someone who doesn’t do anything for others,  then obviously I am a  goat.

In Luke 10  am I like Martha or Mary?

In Matthew 7 - am I taking the narrow road or the busy road?  One leads to life; one leads to death the other leads to death.

On the cross am I like the good thief or the bad thief.  

In Luke 21- the rich put tons of money into the poor box - and the poor widow put two small coins in - and she put in more than all the others.

BACK TO TODAY’S GOSPEL

Back to today’s gospel, compare the contrast Jesus made of these 2 people in the story.

The Pharisee went up front to be seen. The tax collector, the sinner, stayed in the back and wouldn’t even look up with his eyes.

The Pharisee was making his prayer a selfie. He was talking about how great he was and how bad the guy the guy in the back was.  The Pharisee said he fasted 2 times a week and paid tithes or taxes on his stuff.  The tax collector talked to God - prayed to God, “O God  be merciful to me a sinner.”

The Pharisee was examining the other guy’s conscience - saying that guy is greedy, dishonest and adulterous. The poor guy then makes his confession.   “Oh God,  be merciful to me a sinner.”

CONCLUSION

John Fortescue - a  writer from the 1400's -  is the author of the well known comment, “Comparisons are odious.” I would say, “Sometimes they are; and sometimes they can teach us a lot.”