Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector…

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells a story specifically to the people who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous.” Aren’t we all weak to this belief, seeing ourselves in almost every scenario as the one in the right? Find your favourite spot for prayer, grab your journal, and sit deeply with yourself and the Lord for 20 minutes.

Contemplative at Home offers a guided prayer experience drawing on Ignatian spirituality and Lectio Divina.

Luke 18:9-14 is read from the NRSV

This was first published at Contemplative at Home. Find us on: Facebook

For further reflection: you may want to listen to this 5-minute homily by Richard Rohr, “Littleness over Bigness”

Art: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Oil on Board 28 x 40 by Bryn Gillette