Sunday

Next Sunday, 23rd October is the 30th Sunday of the Year. In his Sunday Bible Reflection, Scott Hahn reminds us that Jesus draws a blunt picture in Sunday’s Gospel.

The Pharisee’s prayer is almost a parody of the thanksgiving psalms. Instead of praising God for His mighty works, the Pharisee congratulates himself for his own deeds, which he presents to God in some detail. The tax collector stands at a distance, too ashamed even to raise his eyes to God. He prays with a humble and contrite heart. He knows that before God no one is righteous, no one has cause to boast. We see in the Liturgy today one of Scripture’s abiding themes: that God “knows no favourites,” as Sunday’s First Reading tells us.

You can find Sunday’s readings here and you can read Dr Scott Hahn’s Sunday reflection in full here.