Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary.

Jesus 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 whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Lk 18:9-14

Self-righteous vs. humble

Google defines self-righteous as having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.  Catholic Encyclopedia states humility is that by which a man has a modest estimate of his own worth, and submits himself to others.  A student of mine quoted C.S. Lewis to describe humility best, ““True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
― C.S. LewisMere Christianity

I think the devil does a good job deceiving us.  I think some people shy away from God and being holy because they fear what other will think of them, especially as being a self-righteous person.  Striving to be holy because that is what we are called to do as a baptized person is our daily goal as St. Paul says in the second reading today states, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.” 2 Tim 4:6-8
The devil in my mind deceives me and wants me to think that I will not fit in with the rest of humanity if I come of as a self-righteous hypocrite.  He wants me to think I am a sinner like everyone else and I can’t really become holy.  Jesus teaches us today how to combat this deception.  Strive for holiness and defeat the devil’s deception by striving for humility.  Humility defeats the devil.  Each day entering into a conversation with God with heart and good intentions in our soul recognizing we are sinners.  The Scriptures also contain the Jesus prayer to help us enter into this conversation.  ”Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.”  Today, the tax collector models it for us, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”  I think it is funny that some will listen to this gospel today and think that we better sit really far back from the altar because that is what the humble tax collector did.  It is okay to sit very close to the altar in the front of the church (sorry little aside). As C.S. Lewis states humility is not thinking less of yourself.  We are all made in God’s image and likeness, baptized in the same waters as all of the saints, made with a body and soul (the only being in God’s creation to have this), and made to be holy and reach heaven.  At the same time, we are not to look down on others if we are more talented, can read better, are smarter, prettier, wealthier, have more accomplishments in life.  We are called to treat others with respect and build others up.  If we have been given a specific talent, then we should share it not hold it over another person’s head.  Jesus is the perfect model of humility, being God and coming down as a slave to die on cross to save us.  God doesn’t need us, but He wants to share this love as a total and complete gift.  What will you do with this gift of life?

Today’s challenge: Be humble and beat the devil striving for holiness and receiving the crown of righteousness your eternal reward.

Be a servant, become a saint!
​#Christian YOLO