True Prayer
Hosea 5:15–6:6; Psalm 51; Luke 18:9–14
Through the prophet Hosea, God declares, “What I want is love, not sacrifice and holocausts.” God desires true love, not mere emotions or religiousity. Often, in God’s presence, we express emotions and assume holy and spiritual attitudes, but deep within us, there is no genuine love.
Today’s psalm reiterates this message, emphasizing that God wants love, not sacrifice. Therefore, we must reject all forms of shallow or false worship. A false worship or sacrifice is one that lacks love.
The Gospel presents the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, illustrating two forms of prayer, attitude and verdict. One man declares himself righteous before God, while the other acknowledges his unrighteousness and seeks God’s mercy. True prayer or sacrifice involves expressing love, acknowledging our faults, and asking for God’s mercy, leading to our sanctification.
In stark juxtaposition, false prayer succumbs to the pitfalls of self-aggrandizement, exemplified by the Pharisee’s supplication. This misguided approach fixates on leveraging divine favor for personal gain, thereby cultivating an insidious sense of self-satisfaction and self-righteousness. False prayer perpetuates a culture of competition and comparison, exploiting the divine for selfish purposes. In this warped paradigm, God is reduced to a mere utility, a means to an end, rather than the revered and worshiped Creator.
Jesus cautions, saying, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). Let your prayer be genuine.
Prayer
Dear Lord, our God, grant us the grace of true worship and penance, that we may fully benefit from this Lenten season. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
— Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
