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In the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen
A lady was passing a
church and she noticed that the door was open, so she went in.
In the church three people were praying. Next to each person
was a dove. The lady looked at each dove in turn.
The first was a
beautiful dove, in pristine condition, no feather out of place.
It took off from where it was perched but it faltered and came
back down again.
The second dove was
nothing special, just ordinary and nothing much to look at. It
struggled when it tried to take off but then it flew up into the
air. Unfortunately it could not find the right route so it came
back down again and landed in another part of the church.
The third dove was
bedraggled and a bit sad to look at, but it rose swiftly up into
the air found the skylight and soared out into the sunshine.
Despite its looks it had easily found its way.
Each dove had
represented the prayers of the person they were perched next
too.
The prayers of the
first person had shown that the intention was there but the
words were too beautiful and not sincere.
The second person’s
prayers had started well, their mind focused but they started to
lose faith in them so they never found their destination.
The third person’s
prayers had been simple without fancy words. Their prayer had
been honest and said in humility. Few words were spoken they
just knelt in silence in God’s presence.
Our Gospel reading
today tells a similar story, and the simple message is that our
prayers must be heartfelt, sincere and said in humility.
The Pharisee and the
publican both go to the temple to pray. In fact only one of
these two actually prayed at all. The only destination of the
Pharisee’s prayer is himself, the prayer got not further. But
the Publican’s prayer would have been like our third dove, it
found its way straight to the heart of God.
Richard Crashaw the
poet wrote of this parable:
Two went to pray! O
rather say
One to brag – the other to pray
One stands up close and treads on high
Where the other dare not send his eye
One nearer to God’s altar trod
The other to the altar’s God
The scene set before
us quite easy to image.
You can see the
Pharisee come confidently into the temple walking quickly and
upright, drawing attention to himself as he strides straight up
to the front, letting everyone know that he is about to say his
prayers. But his prayers are more like a profit and loss account
for the bank of heaven. He lists all the good things that he
has done. He doesn’t admit to any sin. He fails to see the
importance of God’s forgiveness which is there ready for him, if
he would just ask for it.
And then following
slowly behind almost embarrassed to be entering such a holy
place the publican creeps in. His head held low in shame, he
finds a place near the back drops onto his knees, choked with
emotion he throws himself on the mercy of God. His prayer is
heartfelt, moving and sincere, ‘God be merciful to me a
sinner’.
He felt that God
would recognise him by this description and listen to him. In
reality his sins may have been far less than the Pharisee’s.
The publican was so ashamed of himself could not even bring
himself to look upon the God he loved. He just says his humble
prayer and holds himself in the presence of God. We are told
that he left the temple justified.
If we at anytime find
ourselves stuck for words, just sitting in the presence of God
is enough, he will talk to us if we allow him the space.
Acknowledging that we are sinners will make us open to God’s
love and in repeating the humble prayer of the Publican we can
also feel the full measure of God’s forgiveness.
God, be merciful to
me a sinner.
Amen
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