For the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time…
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
Luke 18:13
This Sunday the Gospel according to Luke offers a parable about God’s forgiveness and mercy. We hear the humble prayer of the tax collector. It’s a powerful image for all of us, for humility is foundational to prayer.
St. Augustine taught,
Man is a beggar before God.
The posture of humble prayer is one we need to renew again and again. That is why the Church continues to take up that posture and ancient prayer as begin to worship: Kyrie eleison…. Lord, have mercy.
St. Clement of Rome, reportedly ordained by St. Peter, and who later became the 4th pope of the early church, offers this for our meditation on God’s mercy:
Let us fix our eyes on Christ’s blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.
May we never overlook our need for mercy, but at the same time, have confidence in the mercy that God longs to lavish on us—to lift us up from our sin—thanks to the greatness of his love.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.
