In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of humility. Those who exalt themselves will be humble and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and our minds. Fill us with your peace, love, and understanding. Help us to hear God's message today and recognize His voice in our daily activities. Amen
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 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxmyCmrkKgQ (Accredited to Catholic Kids Media)
Ask: Did you ever know someone who bragged all the time?
Say: I knew a girl who told everyone she met that she was the smartest in her class. Inflate one of the balloons a little. You might say she was all puffed up. What other things do people brag about? After each child's answer, blow up the balloon a little more.
What will happen if the bragging continues? (The balloon will burst.) We can be so filled up with ourselves that we're of no use to anyone else.
Say: Look at this other balloon. It could be a beautiful decoration as long as we don't let it get too big.
Ask: Why did God reject the prayer of the first man, the Pharisee? (That man didn't think he needed God.) Why did the tax collector's prayer please God? (He admitted he had done wrong things and asked God's forgiveness.) When we realize we need God, we let God's beauty into our lives.
Say: Humility is a virtue that is not always popular today. What do you think it means to be humble? (Accept all reasonable answers.) When we are humble, we recognize our dependence and need for God. We acknowledge that God is the source of any talents that we have, and we recognize that any good that we are able to do is because of God's grace working in us. Can you think of some examples of people who are truly humble? (Allow time for response and discussion.)
Conclude in prayer together asking that God will grace each of you with the gift of humility. Pray today's responsorial psalm, or pray together the Act of Contrition.
Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
