Franciscan Friar Fr. Paul Gallagher reflects on the Gospel readings for the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Do you know people who take their relationship with God seriously? How is this commitment expressed in how they live their lives?
The content is edited by Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Anne Marie Lom and Joe Thiel. The excerpts from the Sunday readings are prepared by Joe Thiel. To read or download the complete pdf with excerpts for your prayer, please click here: Franciscan Gospel Reflection October 26 2025. Excerpts are from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Photos: Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis, Minnesota, San Xavier Mission, Tucson, Arizona
Luke 18:9-14
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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Background:
In the Gospel for last week Jesus told a parable that encouraged the disciples to be persistent in their prayer. A poor widow received a just settlement from an unjust judge because of her persistence. The Gospel ends with Jesus asking, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8b) The text from last week’s Gospel leads directly into the Gospel for this Sunday.
Because the Gospels were written after Jesus’ death and resurrection, they give a distorted impression of the Pharisees. At the time of Jesus, they were respected as people who took their relationship to God seriously. They tried to live that relationship in their daily life. It is very likely that Jesus admired their dedication. After the destruction of the temple, they clashed with the Christian community. Because the Gospels were compiled during this latter period, texts like the Gospel for this Sunday reflect that hostility rather than Jesus’ own experience.
The tax collectors were generally shunned by the people of Jesus’ day, because they collected money for the oppressing government in Rome. They were not paid a wage but were expected to collect excess when collecting taxes for Rome. They were known to use weights on the scales that were not accurate but fixed for their benefit. If a tax collector desired to repent of his sin, he was required to return all tax money he had collected plus twenty percent. The longer one had been a tax collector the more impossible this requirement became. During his prayer, the tax collector is described as standing at a distance and beating his breast. Such a gesture would be appropriate for a woman. For a man to pray in this fashion would express the deepest sorrow.
In the parable, the Pharisee is a model citizen, both in his daily life and in the way that he prays. He has not entertained greed, dishonesty or adultery. His personal practice exceeds what is required. The requirement to fast is on the Day of Atonement, but he fasts twice a week. The requirement to pay taxes is on what one earns, but he pays the tax on all that he owns. The tax collector prays for mercy. Because he makes no effort to correct the Pharisee’s description of him, the impression is that he has been described accurately. The difference between the two is also expressed in their manner at prayer. The tax collector stands at a distance, does not dare look toward heaven, and beats his breast. His awareness of his relationship with God and the reality that he is a tax collector leads him to acknowledge his sin and ask for mercy. The Pharisee’s life is the opposite of the tax collector; so also, is his prayer. He drew close, looked toward heaven and raised his arms toward God when he prayed. His prayer is that he is grateful for who he is and that he makes his relationship with God a priority. He is not like the tax collector and many others.
In the final verse Jesus uses opposites to make his point. The tax collector and the Pharisee both have a perception of themselves but it is not how God looks upon either. Their perception is in fact the opposite of how God looks upon each of them. God looks with compassion on the tax collector who asks for mercy. The Pharisee, who in his prayer takes credit for his virtue, does not ask anything from God. Perhaps he receives what he has asked for.
Reflection Questions:
1. How would you describe yourself at prayer?
2. How would you describe your typical prayer(s)?
3. Do you know people who take their relationship with God seriously? How is this commitment expressed in how they live their lives?
4. Do you know people who are active members of AA or other recovery programs? How do you experience their commitment to their recovery? What is your experience of their assessment of themselves?
5. Have there been periods in your own life when you were operating from the assumption that you needed to earn God’s love? How did that affect your relationship to God, to others, and to yourself?
6. Are you more apt to talk about the good qualities of another or their faults?
7. Have there been times during your life when you experienced sorrow for your sinfulness?
8. Have you ever experienced resistance to an expression of sorrow?
9. Can you take some time to talk honestly to God about your relationship to God, how you look upon others, and how that impacts your relationship to God?
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