When my son was two years old, he got lost in a shopping centre in Sydney. Though we could not see him, his cries of “Daddy!” could be heard, piercing the noise and music in the centre. My husband, hearing those cries, pushed through the crowd until he found our son. Scooping him into his arms, he whispered softly, “I am here.” God also hears and responds to the cries of his people. God never ignores the heartfelt pleas of the humble, the sincere, and the broken hearted. In the first reading we are assured that God listens to those who are oppressed. This contrasts with those who pray with pride or self-righteousness, as seen in the Gospel reading. The Pharisee prayed to exalt himself, while the tax collector prayed with humility, pleading for mercy. Jesus reminds us that it is the humble, not the proud, who are justified before God. Are we like the Pharisee, relying on our merits, or like the tax collector, aware of our need for God’s mercy?

PRAYER: Abba Father, li me up with your mercy and love. Amen.