Luke § 89

(Asterius.) To be diligent in prayer was the lesson taught by our Lord in the parable of the widow and the judge, He now instructs us how we should direct our prayers to Him, in order that our prayers may not be fruitless. The Pharisee was condemned because he prayed heedlessly. As it follows, The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself.

Typically, the Pharisee is the Jewish people, who boast of their ornaments because of the righteousness of the law; but the Publican is the Gentiles, who being at a distance from God confess their sins. Of whom the one for His pride returned humbled, the other for his contrition was thought worthy to draw near and be exalted.

The Lord does not cease to destroy the passion of pride with the most powerful arguments. Since it disturbs the minds of people more than all other passions, the Lord teaches about it frequently and at length. So now too He heals its worst form. For self-love has many branches. From it are born: conceit, boasting, vainglory, and the most pernicious of all — pride. Pride is the rejection of God. For when someone ascribes his good qualities not to God but to himself, what else does he do but deny God and rebel against Him? This God-opposing passion, against which the Lord arms Himself as an enemy against an enemy, the Lord promises to heal with the present parable. For He speaks it to those who were confident in themselves and did not ascribe everything to God, and who therefore also despised others, and He shows that righteousness, even though it may be admirable in other respects and bring a person close to God Himself, yet if it admits pride, it casts a person down to the lowest degree and makes him like the devil, who sometimes assumes the appearance of being equal to God.

Pride also beyond all other passions disturbs the mind of man. And hence the very frequent warnings against it. It is moreover a contempt of God; for when a man ascribes the good he doth to himself and not to God, what else is this but to deny God? For the sake then of those that so trust in themselves, that they will not ascribe the whole to God, and therefore despise others, He puts forth a parable, to show that righteousness, although it may bring man up to God, yet if he is clothed with pride, casts him down to hell.

How useful and necessary a medicine is repentance! People who remember that they are only human will readily understand this. It is written, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." … The Pharisee was not rejoicing so much in his own clean bill of health as in comparing it with the diseases of others. He came to the doctor. It would have been more worthwhile to inform him by confession of the things that were wrong with himself instead of keeping his wounds secret and having the nerve to crow over the scars of others. It is not surprising that the tax collector went away cured, since he had not been ashamed of showing where he felt pain.

Two men went up to the temple to pray. One a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The tax collector, praying humbly, belongs to those members of the mentioned widow, that is, the Church, of whom it is said above: "But will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him?" The Pharisee, however, boasting of his merits, pertains to those about whom the terrible closing statement is made: "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Second, as to the conditions of the persons about whom he speaks, he adds: Two men went up to the temple to pray, with a conformable and indeed laudable intention. For we ought to ascend to the temple for this purpose, that we may pray, according to that passage in Matthew twenty-one: "My house shall be called the house of prayer." Whence Augustine says: "Let no one do anything in a place of prayer except that for which it was made, from which it also received its name." Whence also the Lord cast out those who were not praying in the temple but trading, not without harshness of words: John two: "Jesus found in the temple those selling sheep and oxen and doves, and the money-changers sitting. And when he had made a whip of cords, he cast them all out of the temple. And he said to them: Take these things away from here, and do not make my Father's house a house of commerce"; and this, because that house was a house of prayer. And for this reason, so that it might befit the purpose for which it existed, it was therefore built on high, and it was necessary to ascend by steps, to intimate that whoever wishes to pray must raise himself upward. Whence also in the Preface it is said: "Lift up your hearts"; and Bernard says that "although God is everywhere, nevertheless in prayer he must be thought of as above, so that our heart may be lifted upward." As a figure of this, in Exodus twenty-four, "the Lord said to Moses: Come up to me on the mountain." Although, however, they were tending toward one and the same place, they nevertheless had a great difference of conduct; and therefore he adds: One a Pharisee, and the other a publican, by their dissimilar manner of life. Whence the Pharisee was apparently just, because the Pharisees were so called as being distinguished from others by habit, gesture, and observances, as if they were the chief observers of the Law itself, according to that passage in Acts twenty-six: "My manner of life from my youth all the Jews know, knowing me from the beginning, if they are willing to bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." On the contrary, the publican was openly evil, because publicans were called the collectors of public taxes, as has often been explained, whence above in chapter fifteen: "The publicans and sinners were drawing near to Jesus to hear him. And the scribes and Pharisees were murmuring," etc. Therefore there is a great difference between the Pharisee and the publican as to appearance, and great also as to reality, because the Pharisee was undermining his own justice through arrogance, and the publican was purging his injustice through repentance. Therefore in Matthew twenty-one it is said to the Pharisees: "The publicans and harlots shall go before you into the kingdom of God." This, however, is said to the Pharisees not because they appeared good, but because they were proud in mind; on account of which it is said above in chapter sixteen: "You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, because what is exalted among men is an abomination before God."

And let not the worshipper, beloved brethren, be ignorant in what manner the publican prayed with the Pharisee in the temple. Not with eyes lifted up boldly to heaven, nor with hands proudly raised; but beating his breast, and testifying to the sins shut up within, he implored the help of the divine mercy. And while the Pharisee was pleased with himself, this man who thus asked, the rather deserved to be sanctified, since he placed the hope of salvation not in the confidence of his innocence, because there is none who is innocent; but confessing his sinfulness he humbly prayed, and He who pardons the humble heard the petitioner. And these things the Lord records in His Gospel, saying, "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men are, unjust, extortioners, adulterers, even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. But the publican stood afar off, and would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. I say unto you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted."

In the case of that Pharisee who was praying, the things he said were true. Since he was saying them out of pride and the tax collector was telling his sins with humility, the confession of sins of the last was more pleasing to God than the acknowledgment of the almsgiving of the first. It is more difficult to confess one's sins than one's righteousness. God looks on the one who carries a heavy burden. The tax collector therefore appeared to him to have had more to bear than the Pharisee had. He went down more justified than the Pharisee did, only because of the fact he was humble. If this Pharisee had been sinful, his prayer would have added iniquity to iniquity, but the Lord purified the tax collector of his iniquity. If just by praying, the Pharisee's prayer provoked God's wrath, then as a result of that provocation, the prayer of the tax collector proved all the more potent.

4. The Lord demonstrates this in a parable, saying. "Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican" (Luke 18:10). Wanting to set clearly before us the gain that comes from humility and the loss from pride, he divided into two groups all who went to the Temple, or, rather, those who went up into the Temple, who are the ones who go there to pray. This is the nature of prayer, it brings a man up from the earth into heaven and, rising above every heavenly name, height and honor, sets him before the God Who is over all (cf. Rom. 9:5). The ancient Temple was set in a high place, on a hill above the city. Once when a deadly epidemic was destroying Jerusalem, David saw the Angel of Death on this hill, stretching out his sword against the city. He went up there and built an altar to the Lord, on which he offered a sacrifice to God, and the destruction ceased (2 Sam. 24:15-25). All these things are an image of the saving ascent of the spirit during holy prayer and of the forgiveness it brings - for these things all foreshadowed our salvation. They can also be an image of this holy church of ours, which is indeed set in a high place, in another angelic country above the world, where the great, bloodless sacrifice, acceptable to God, is offered for the forgiveness of the whole world, the destruction of death and abundance of eternal life.

5. So the Lord did not say, "Two men went to the temple", but "went up" into the Temple. Even now there are some who come to the holy church without going up. Instead they bring down the church, the image of heaven. They come for the sake of meeting each other and talking, or to buy and sell goods, and they resemble each other, for the latter offer goods, the former words, and all receive a fair exchange. As in those days the Lord drove them completely out of the Temple saying, "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matt. 21:13), so He also drove them away from their conversations as they did not really go up into the Temple at all, even if they came there every day.

6. The Pharisee and the Publican went up into the Temple, both with the aim of praying. But the Pharisee brought himself down after going up, defeating his aim by the way he prayed. Both had the same aim in going up, both went up to pray, but they prayed in opposite ways. One made the ascent broken and contrite, for he had learned from the Psalmist and Prophet that "a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Ps. 51:17). The Prophet says of himself, with the knowledge of experience, "I was brought low and the Lord helped me" (Ps. 116:6). But why am I talking about the Prophet, when the God of the prophets, Who for our sake became like us, humbled himself. "Wherefore", as the Apostle says, "God hath highly exalted him" (Phil. 2:9). The Pharisee, by contrast, goes up bloated with pretensions to justify himself in the presence of God, although all our righteousness is like a filthy rag before Him (cf. Is. 64:6). He had not heard the saying, "Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 16:5), or, "God resisteth the proud" (Prov. 3:34 LXX), or, "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight" (Isa. 5:21). 7. The two were different not only in their manner and way of praying but also in their type of prayer, for there are two kinds. Prayer is not only a matter of entreaty but also of thanksgiving. Of those who pray, one goes up to the Temple of God praising and thanking God for what he has received from him. Another asks for what he has not yet received, including, in the case of those of us who sin all the time, remission of sins. When we piously promise to offer something to God, that is not called prayer but a vow, as shown by the one who said, "Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God" (Ps. 76: 11), and the other who said, "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay" (Eccles. 5:4).

Then, in the case of the publican, who excelled the Pharisee in prayer, [we find] that it was not because he worshipped another Father that he received testimony from the Lord that he was justified rather [than the other]; but because with great humility, apart from all boasting and pride, he made confession to the same God.

Whoever offers to God sacrifices of praise, the rational fruits of the lips that confess his name, should be very alert for the ambushes of the evil one. Satan lies in ambush ready to catch you by surprise at the very time of thanksgiving. He will get up and accuse you before God, just as he did with your fellow Pharisee in the temple. This time, he will not be puffing you up with pride over good works, as he did with the Pharisee, but he will be making you drunk with a different kind of pride. He makes you drunk on pride in the lovely and sweet sound of your own voice, the beauty of your chants that are sweeter than honey and the honey-comb. The result is that you do not realize that these belong to God, and not to yourself.

Since, then, He who judges will also Himself be the avenger, He proved that the Creator is on that account the specially good God, whom He represented as the avenger of His own elect, who cry day and night to Him, And yet, when He introduces to our view the Creator's temple, and describes two men worshipping therein with diverse feelings-the Pharisee in pride, the publican in humility-and shows us how they accordingly went down to their homes, one rejected, the other justified, He surely, by thus teaching us the proper discipline of prayer, has determined that that God must be prayed to from whom men were to receive this discipline of prayer-whether condemnatory of pride, or justifying in humility.

(Serm. 115.) His fault was not that he gave God thanks, but that he asked for nothing further. Because thou art full and aboundest, thou hast no need to say, Forgive us our debts. What then must be his guilt who impiously fights against grace, when he is condemned who proudly gives thanks? Let those hear who say, "God has made me man, I made myself righteous. O worse and more hateful than the Pharisee, who proudly called himself righteous, yet gave thanks to God that he was so.

(ut sup.) He might at least have said, "as many men;" for what does he mean by "other men," but all besides himself? "I am righteous, he says, the rest are sinners."

(ut sup.) See how he derives from the Publican near him a fresh occasion for pride. It follows, Or even as this Publican; as if he says, "I stand alone, he is one of the others."

If you look into his words, you will find that he asked nothing of God. He goes up indeed to pray, but instead of asking God, praises himself, and even insults him that asked. The Publican, on the other hand, driven by his stricken conscience afar off, is by his piety brought near.

(in Esai. c. 2.) "He prayed with himself," that is, not with God, his sin of pride sent him back into himself. It follows, God, I thank thee.

(ubi sup.) The difference between the proud man and the scorner is in the outward form alone. The one is engaged in reviling others, the other in presumptuously extolling himself.

The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus with himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this publican. There are four types by which all the swelling of the arrogant is demonstrated, when they either believe they have good from themselves, or if they believe it is given to them from above, they think they have received it because of their own merits, or certainly when they boast they have what they do not, or, despising others, seek to appear singularly to have what they have. The Pharisee is found to have labored under the plague of these boastings, who therefore descended from the temple without justification, because he attributed the merits of good works to himself, as though singularly, and preferred himself over the praying publican.

But the Pharisee standing etc. After he described the conditions of the persons praying, here secondly he describes the conditions of the prayers. And here is described first the condition of the prayer on the part of the proud Pharisee; secondly, on the part of the publican humbling himself, at the words: And the publican standing afar off.

Now three things are intimated in the manner of praying of the Pharisee himself, in which the arrogance of his mind is manifested with respect both to God and to neighbor and also to himself. For here are introduced the Pharisee's own haughty thanksgiving, presumptuous reproach of others, and vainglorious commendation of himself.

First therefore, as regards the haughty thanksgiving, he says: But the Pharisee standing prayed within himself: God, I give you thanks; in which the Pharisee is reproved, not because he gives thanks to God, but because he does this in a proud manner. Hence Gregory: "If he who proudly gives thanks is reproved, what then of him who attacks grace?" Now his haughtiness is apparent from the fact that he did not pray with body bowed down, but with head held high, since it is said in Isaiah sixty: "The sons of those who humbled you shall come bowed down to you, and they shall worship the steps of your feet." His haughtiness also appears because he prayed within himself, as one pleased with himself, contrary to what is said in Romans fifteen: "We who are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. For indeed Christ did not please himself." And therefore Proverbs three: "Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil," etc. His haughtiness appears no less because he began from the magnification of the goods which he had received, when he ought rather to have begun from the accusation of himself: Proverbs eighteen: "The just man is the first accuser of himself"; he began from lofty things, when he ought to have begun from the lowest, so as to arrive at the highest. Hence Jerome: "Humility is the first virtue of Christians," and therefore, when it is omitted, one labors in vain. Hence Bede: "Behold, the Pharisee has an eye for rendering thanks, but not for the keeping of humility. And what does it profit if the whole city is guarded, yet one opening through which enemies may enter is left unguarded?"

Second, as regards the presumptuous reproof of one's neighbor, he adds: Because I am not like the rest of men, as if to say: the rest are sinners, but I am righteous; whence the Interlinear Gloss: "What does the rest of men mean, except all besides himself? As if to say: I alone am righteous, the rest are sinners." And in this he spoke falsely in two ways: both because he said he was not a sinner, whereas it is said in First John 1: "If we say that we have no sin, we are liars, and the truth is not in us." He also spoke falsely because he said he alone was righteous, whereas the Lord says to Elijah, who said "I alone am left," in Third Kings 19: "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bent their knees before Baal." But this man, though he is infinitely inferior, not only calls himself alone righteous, but also asserts that the rest are sinners, marking them with a multitude of vices.

And therefore he adds: Robbers, unjust, adulterers: so that robbers refers to the concupiscence of the eyes, unjust to the pride of life, and adulterers to the concupiscence of the flesh; by which he indicates that others besides himself are commonly infected with this threefold vice, from which flows the universal transgression and perpetration of sins, according to that passage in First John 2: "All that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh, or the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life."

And lest he seem to speak as one uncertain, he also brings forward the publican as an example, when he adds: Even as this publican: which he says not out of compassion for the publican, but rather out of contempt and mockery; against which, Ecclesiasticus 7: "Do not mock a man in the bitterness of his soul. For God, who watches over all things, is he who humbles and who exalts."

And note that the Pharisee, from his consideration of the publican, rose up to rashness of judgment, because, when he saw that the publican was a sinner, he condemned not only him but also all the rest. He also rose up to haughtiness of spirit; whence Bernard says: "The incentive to pride is the consideration of one who is worse, just as the incentive to humility is the consideration of one who is better."

How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping an imaginary God. They theoretically admit themselves to be nothing in the presence of this phantom God, but are really all the time imagining how He approves of them and thinks them far better than ordinary people: that is, they pay a pennyworth of imaginary humility to Him and get out of it a pound's worth of Pride towards their fellow-men... Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good—above all, that we are better than someone else—I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil.

What profit is there in fasting twice in the week if it serves only as a pretext for ignorance and vanity and makes you proud, haughty and selfish? You tithe your possessions and boast about it. In another way, you provoke God's anger by condemning and accusing other people because of this. You are puffed up, although not crowned by the divine decree for righteousness. On the contrary, you heap praises on yourself. He says, "I am not as the rest of humankind." Moderate yourself, O Pharisee. Put a door and lock on your tongue. You speak to God who knows all things. Wait for the decree of the judge. No one who is skilled in wrestling ever crowns himself. No one also receives the crown from himself but waits for the summons of the referee.… Lower your pride, because arrogance is accursed and hated by God. It is foreign to the mind that fears God. Christ even said, "Do not judge, and you shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned." One of his disciples also said, "There is one lawgiver and judge. Why then do you judge your neighbor?" No one who is in good health ridicules one who is sick for being laid up and bedridden. He is rather afraid, for perhaps he may become the victim of similar sufferings. A person in battle, because another has fallen, does not praise himself for having escaped from misfortune. The weakness of others is not a suitable subject for praise for those who are in health.

A man will plume himself because he is not bad in some particular way, when the truth is that he is not good enough to be bad in that particular way. Some priggish little clerk will say, "I have reason to congratulate myself that I am a civilised person, and not so bloodthirsty as the Mad Mullah." Somebody ought to say to him, "A really good man would be less bloodthirsty than the Mullah. But you are less bloodthirsty, not because you are more of a good man, but because you are a great deal less of a man. You are not bloodthirsty, not because you would spare your enemy, but because you would run away from him."

If a journalist has to describe a great politician or financier (the things are substantially the same) entering a room or walking down a thoroughfare, he always says, "Mr. Midas was quietly dressed in a black frock coat, a white waistcoat, and light grey trousers, with a plain green tie and simple flower in his button-hole." As if any one would expect him to have a crimson frock coat or spangled trousers. As if any one would expect him to have a burning Catherine wheel in his button-hole.

There is no subtle spiritual evil in the fact that people always brag about their vices; it is when they begin to brag about their virtues that they become insufferable.

Every generous person will equally agree that the one kind of pride which is wholly damnable is the pride of the man who has something to be proud of. The pride which, proportionally speaking, does not hurt the character, is the pride in things which reflect no credit on the person at all. Thus it does a man no harm to be proud of his country, and comparatively little harm to be proud of his remote ancestors. It does him more harm to be proud of having made money, because in that he has a little more reason for pride. It does him more harm still to be proud of what is nobler than money—intellect. And it does him most harm of all to value himself for the most valuable thing on earth—goodness. The man who is proud of what is really creditable to him is the Pharisee, the man whom Christ Himself could not forbear to strike.

8. However, these two kinds of prayer can both be unprofitable for the unwary. Faith and contrition make prayer and supplication for the remission of sins effective, once evil deeds have been renounced, but despair and hardness of heart make it ineffectual. Thanksgiving for the benefits received from God is made acceptable by humility and not looking down on those who lack them. It is rendered unacceptable, however, by being conceited, as if those benefits resulted from our own efforts and knowledge, and by condemning those who have not received them. The Pharisee's behavior and words prove he was afflicted with both these diseases. He went up to the Temple to give thanks, not to make supplication and, like a wretched fool, mingled conceit and condemnation of others with his thanksgiving. For he stood and prayed thus with himself: "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers" (Luke 18:11).

9. Instead of the attitude of a servant, the Pharisee's stance displays shameless self-exaltation, the opposite of that other man who, in his humility, did not dare to lift up his eyes to heaven. It stands to reason that the Pharisee prayed to himself, for his prayer did not ascend to God, although it did not escape the notice of Him Who sits upon the Cherubim and observes the lowest depths of the abyss. When he said "I thank thee", he did not go on to say, "because in Thy mercy Thou didst freely deliver me, weak and unable to fight as I am, from the snares of the devil". For he is spiritually courageous who manages to take refuge in repentance when caught in the snares of the enemy and fallen into the nets of sin. The circumstances of our lives are directed by a higher providence and often, with little or no effort on our part, by God's help we have stayed out of reach of many great passions, delivered by His sympathy for our weakness. We should acknowledge the gift and humble ourselves before the Giver, not be conceited.

10. The Pharisee says, "I thank thee, God", not because I have received any help from Thee, but "because I am not as other men are". As though it was from his own resources and through his own ability that he was not an extortioner or unjust or an adulterer - if, indeed, he really was not. He did not pay attention to himself, or he would not have said he was righteous. He was looking more at everyone else than at himself and, in his madness, despised them all. Only one seemed to him to be righteous and chaste: himself. "I am not", he says, "as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican" (Luke 18:11). Anyone could point out to him how foolish he was, by saying to him, "If all except yourself are unjust and extortioners, then who are the victims of extortion and injustice? What about this Publican, and the extra words you added about him? Since he is one of the rest, surely he was included in your general, your universal, condemnation? Or did he have to be condemned twice over because he was in your sight, even though he was standing far away from you. You knew he was unjust because he was obviously a publican, but how did you know he was an adulterer? Or perhaps you are entitled to treat him unjustly and insult him since he treated others unjustly?" But it is not so. With a humble mind he bears your arrogant accusation and, reproaching himself, he offers supplication to God and is delivered by Him from the condemnation of having treated others unjustly. You, however, will be rightly condemned for having arrogantly made accusations against him and all men, and deemed only yourself righteous. "I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers."

(23. Mor. c. 6.) There are different shapes in which the pride of self-confident men presents itself; when they imagine that either the good in them is of themselves; or when believing it is given them from above, that they have received it for their own merits; or at any rate when they boast that they have that which they have not. Or lastly, when despising others they aim at appearing singular in the possession of that which they have. And in this respect the Pharisee awards to himself especially the merit of good works.

(Hom. 2. de Pœn.) To despise the whole race of man was not enough for him; he must yet attack the Publican. He would have sinned, yet far less if he had spared the Publican, but now in one word he both assails the absent, and inflicts a wound on him who was present. (Hom. 3. in Matt.). To give thanks is not to heap reproaches on others. When thou returnest thanks to God, let Him be all in all to thee. Turn not thy thoughts to men, nor condemn thy neighbour.

He who rails at others does much harm both to himself and others. First, those who hear him are rendered worse, for if sinners they are made glad in finding one as guilty as themselves, if righteous, they are exalted, being led by the sins of others to think more highly of themselves. Secondly, the body of the Church suffers; for those who hear him are not all content to blame the guilty only, but to fasten the reproach also on the Christian religion. Thirdly, the glory of God is evil spoken of; for as our well-doing makes the name of God to be glorified, so our sins cause it to be blasphemed. Fourthly, the object of reproach is confounded and becomes more reckless and immoveable. Fifthly, the ruler is himself made liable to punishment for uttering things which are not seemly.

The opening words of the Pharisee resemble those of a grateful man, for he says: I thank Thee, God! But his subsequent speech is filled with utter madness. For he did not say: I thank Thee that Thou hast kept me from unrighteousness, from robbery, but what? — that I am not such. He ascribed perfection to himself and to his own strength. But to condemn others — how is this characteristic of a man who knows that everything he has, he has from God? For if he were convinced that he possesses the goods of others by grace, then without doubt he would not have disparaged others, bearing in mind that he too, with respect to his own strength, is equally naked, and is clothed with a gift by mercy. Therefore the Pharisee, as one who ascribes his accomplished deeds to his own strength, is arrogant, and from this he went so far as to condemn others. The Lord indicates the arrogance and absence of humility in the Pharisee also by the word "standing." For the humble man has a humble bearing as well, but the Pharisee displayed vanity even in his outward conduct. It is true that of the publican too it is said "standing," but see what is added further: "he would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven." Therefore his standing was at the same time a bowing down, whereas the Pharisee's eyes and heart were both lifted up to heaven.

It is said "standing," to denote his haughty temper. For his very posture betokens his extreme pride.

Observe the order of the Pharisee's prayer. He first speaks of that which he had not, and then of that which he had. As it follows, That I am not as other men are.

I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess. The prophet Ezekiel writes about the heavenly creatures shown to him. And the whole body full of eyes, around those four. For the bodies of the creatures are described as full of eyes because the actions of the saints are circumspect from every part, desirably providing for the good, cautiously avoiding the evil. But we often, while attending to other matters, neglect others. And where we neglect, there undoubtedly we do not have an eye. For behold, the Pharisee had an eye for exhibiting abstinence, for extending mercy, for giving thanks to God, but he did not have an eye for maintaining humility. And what does it benefit if nearly the whole city is cautiously guarded against the enemy's plots, if one opening is left open, where the enemies may enter?

Third, as to the vainglorious commendation of himself, he adds: I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess, as if to say: I keep perfect justice, both toward myself and toward God, because I mortify the flesh by fasting twice on the Sabbath, that is, in the week; and I keep piety toward God by rendering tithes and alms. And these two are what most please God: whence the Angel also said in Tobit 12: "Prayer with fasting and almsgiving is better than storing up treasures of gold." Whence here also he greatly commends himself, but in this he defiles his justice through vainglory: Proverbs 27: "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips"; because, as it is said in Second Corinthians 10, "not he who commends himself is approved," but is rather certainly reprobated. Whence Sirach 7: "Do not justify yourself before God, for He Himself is the knower of hearts"; and Jeremiah 2: "Behold, I will contend with you in judgment, because you have said: I have not sinned"; and Job 9: "If I wish to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I show myself innocent, it will prove me perverse." And all this on account of the vice of pride, which most displeases God; Ephesians 2: "By grace you have been saved through faith. For it is the gift of God, not from works, lest anyone should boast."

But since this Pharisee acknowledges that the good things he has are from the Lord, he does not seem to glory vainly; because he glories vainly who "glories as though he had not received"; but this man gives thanks to God. — To which Bernard responds that he did not rightly acknowledge the good things he received: for he speaks thus: "He gives thanks not because he is good, but because he is alone; not so much for the good things he has, as for the evil things he sees in others." Such indeed is the manner of pride: whence Gregory says: "There are four kinds by which every swelling of the arrogant is shown: when someone thinks that the good he has, he has from himself; or, if he believes it was given by God, thinks it was given for his merits; or when he boasts of having what he does not have; or when, despising others, he desires to appear uniquely to have what he has." The Pharisee suffered from this plague, who by extolling his own merits preferred himself to all others.

11. These words show the Pharisee's disdain for God and for everybody, but also for the standards of his own conscience. He openly despises everybody and ascribes his abstention from evil not to God's strength but to his own. If he says that he thanks God, it is only because he considers all men apart from himself to be licentious, unjust and extortioners, as though God saw fit to grant virtue to him alone. However, if everyone were like that, all the Pharisee's goods would be in their possession as loot. But this is not so, for he adds, "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I gain" (Luke l8:l2). He does not say that he gives tithes of all that he possesses, but of all that he gains, meaning the additions and increases to his fortune. So he kept what he possessed and also took without hindrance as much as he could over and above that. How could all except himself be extortioners and unjust? This is how self-confuting and self-deceiving evil is! Madness is always mixed with lies.

12. He put forward the fact that he gave tithes of his wealth to prove his righteousness; for if someone gives tithes of his own wealth how can he be an extortioner of other people's? He put forward fasting to show off his chastity because fasting gives rise to purity. For argument's sake, then, let us say you are chaste, righteous, wise, sensible, brave, and whatever else you wish. If this has come from yourself and not from God, why do you deceitfully pretend to pray? Why do you go up into the Temple and give thanks in vain? But if it has come from God, you did not receive it so as to boast but for the edification of others to the glory of the Giver. You should have humbly rejoiced and given thanks both to Him Who gave and to those for whose sake the gifts were given. The lamp receives light for those who see it, not for itself. For "week" the Pharisee uses the word "Sabbath", but he means not the seventh day but the seven days, on two of which he brags that he fasts. He is unaware that such fasts are mere human virtues, whereas pride is demonic. When pride is linked with fasting, however genuine, it annuls and destroys the virtues, and how much more so if the fasting is a sham.

(19. Mor. c. 21.) So it was pride that laid bare to his wily enemies the citadel of his heart, which prayer and fasting had in vain kept closed. Of no use are all the other fortifications, as long as there is one place which the enemy has left defenceless.

Look also at the order that is presented in the Pharisee's prayer. First he said what he is not, and then he enumerated what he is. Having said, "I am not such-and-such, as other men," he also puts forward various virtues: "I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of all that I acquire." For one must not only turn away from evil, but also do good (Ps. 33:15). And first one must depart from evil, and then proceed to virtue, just as when wishing to draw clean water from a muddy spring, you must first clean out the filth, and only then can you draw clean water. Note also that the Pharisee did not say in the singular: I am not a robber, not an adulterer, like others. He did not allow even in mere words a shameful name to be applied solely to his own person, but used these designations in the plural, about others. Having said, "I am not such as others," he contrasted this with: "I fast twice a week," that is, two days a week. The Pharisee's speech could have a deep meaning. Against the passion of adultery he boasts of fasting. For lust is born of sensual excess. Thus he, afflicting his body with fasting, was very far from such passions. And the Pharisees truly fasted on the second day of the week and on the fifth. Against the designation of robbers and oppressors the Pharisee contrasted the fact that he gives a tenth of all that he acquires. Robbery, he says, and the inflicting of injuries are so abhorrent to me that I give away even what is my own. In the opinion of some, the Law commands tithing in general and for all time, but those who investigate it more deeply find that it prescribes a threefold tithe. You will learn about this in detail from Deuteronomy (Deut. 12, Deut. 14), if you pay attention. Such was the conduct of the Pharisee.

It becomes us not only to shun evil, but also to do good; and so after having said, I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, he adds something by way of contrast, I fast twice in a week. They called the week the Sabbath, (Sabbatho) from the last day of rest. The Pharisees fasted upon the second and fifth day. He therefore set fasting against the passion of adultery, for lust is born of luxury; but to the extortioners and usurists he opposed the payment of tithes; as it follows, I give tithes of all I possess; as if he says, So far am I from indulging in extortion or injuring, that I even give up what is my own.

(Serm. 115.) Why then marvel ye, whether God pardons, since He himself acknowledges it. The Publican stood afar off, yet drew near to God. And the Lord was nigh unto him, and heard him, For the Lord is on high, yet hath he regard to the lowly. He lifted not so much as his eyes to heaven; that he might be looked upon, he looked not himself. Conscience weighed him down, hope raised him up, he smote his own breast, he exacted judgment upon himself. Therefore did the Lord spare the penitent. Thou hast heard the accusation of the proud, thou hast heard the humble confession of the accused. Hear now the sentence of the Judge; Verily I say unto you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. How confidently does he offer forgiveness to the worthily penitent, given that the publican, who fully recognized his wrongdoing, wept, confessed, and if he came unjust to the temple, he left justified from the temple. Typically, however, the Pharisee is the populace of the Jews, who extol their own merits through the justifications of the law. The publican, on the other hand, represents the Gentile, who, placed far from God, confesses his sins. One departed proud and humiliated, while the other, by lamenting, deserved to approach exalted.

And the publican, standing afar off, etc. After he has expressed the conditions in the prayer of the proud Pharisee, here secondly he expresses the conditions of the prayer of the humble publican, in which is described the manifestation of perfect humility as to gesture, as to movement, and as to word.

First, as regards the indication of humility through gesture, he says: And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes toward heaven. Bede: "As a humble man, he does not dare to approach, so that God may approach him; he does not look up, so that he may be looked upon." For nothing pleases God so much in a penitent, as Bernard says, as humble shame; and in such a manner He wishes to be prayed to. Hence this publican was among those of whom Isaiah forty-nine says: "With their face bowed down to the earth, they shall worship you and lick the dust of your feet." He did not dare to lift up his eyes toward heaven, because he recognized that he had offended the God of heaven, so that he would say as the penitent prodigal son, above in the fifteenth chapter: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you"; and that of the last chapter of Second Chronicles: "I have sinned beyond the number of the sands of the sea, and my sins are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquity." Therefore he did not dare to lift up his face on account of shame for sin, so that within himself he would say that of First Ezra, chapter nine: "O Lord my God, I am confounded and ashamed to lift up my face to you, for our iniquities are multiplied above our head, and our offenses have grown up even to heaven."

Second, as regards the indication of humility with respect to bodily movement, he adds: But he struck his breast, by which he rendered himself guilty and showed himself to be grieving. For in this, that the breast is struck, the heart within is shown to be worthy of punishment; as a sign of which, in the last chapter of Second Kings, "David's heart struck him after the people had been numbered, and David said to the Lord: I have sinned greatly in this deed; but I pray, O Lord, that you would take away the iniquity of your servant." So this man struck his breast, as if indignant against himself. Hence the Gloss: "He strikes his breast and exacts punishment from himself, so that God may spare him." Hence it is also our custom in confession and in saying the fault to strike our breasts in reproach and penitence of our hearts and in attestation of our consciences. Hence below in the twenty-third chapter it is said that "the multitude of those who had come together to that spectacle and saw the things that were happening struck their breasts." On account of which the striking of the breast, as Augustine says, avails for the remission of venial sins; hence it is one of the eight things by which venial sins are remitted. For venial sins are said to be remitted by confession, striking of the breast, sprinkling of holy water, contrition of heart, signing with the cross, prayer, holy communion, and forgiveness of injuries; hence the verse:

I confess, I strike, I am sprinkled, I am contrite, I pray, I sign myself, I eat, I forgive: by these I put away venial sins.

Third, with respect to the intimation of humility through word, he adds: Saying: God, be merciful to me a sinner. Note here a most brief prayer and a most efficacious one, because in it the one praying humbles himself and exalts God: and such a prayer is acceptable to God, according to that passage of Sirach thirty-five: "The prayer of him who humbles himself shall penetrate the clouds." He also magnifies God by humbly seeking pardon: Sirach, the last chapter: "I will praise the name of the Lord continually, and my prayer was heard," etc. He also magnifies him by calling him God, because this is the name of supreme majesty: Psalm: "Know that the Lord himself is God: he made us, and not we ourselves"; and again: "For the Lord is a great God and a great king," etc.

It is the name of supreme truth: Numbers twenty-three: "God is not as a man, that he should lie"; and Romans three: "For God is truthful," etc.

It is likewise the name of supreme charity: whence First John four: "God is charity, and he who abides in charity abides in God and God in him."

It is no less the name of supreme piety: Second Corinthians one: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all consolation," etc.

Therefore the publican says, praying as humbly as devoutly: God, be merciful to me a sinner: God of supreme majesty: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your power, according to that passage of Wisdom eleven: "You have mercy on all, O Lord, who can do all things, overlooking the sins of men for the sake of repentance," etc.: of supreme truth: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your justice: Psalm: "In your truth, hear me in your justice," in truth, I say, which you promised; Ezekiel thirty-three: "The wickedness of the wicked shall not harm him, on whatever day he turns from his iniquity"; of supreme charity: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your benevolence: Wisdom eleven: "But you spare all, because they are yours, O Lord, who love souls"; and Jeremiah thirty-one: "With an everlasting charity I have loved you, therefore I have drawn you, having mercy on you," etc.: of supreme piety: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your mercy, for which the Prophet prayed in the Psalm: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy"; and Sirach thirty-six: "Have mercy on us, O God of all, and look upon us and show us," etc.

It would be a bold and silly creature that came before its Creator with the boast "I'm no beggar. I love you disinterestedly". Those who come nearest to a Gift-love for God will next moment, even at the very same moment, be beating their breasts with the publican and laying their indigence before the only real Giver. And God will have it so. He addresses our Need-love: "Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy-laden," or, in the Old Testament, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it."

But what of the publican? He stood, it says, "afar off," not even venturing, so to speak, to raise up his eyes on high. You see him abstaining from all boldness of speech, as having no right thereto, and smitten by the reproaches of conscience: for he was afraid of being even seen by God, as one who had been careless of His laws, and had led an unchaste and dissolute life. You see also that by his external manner, he accuses his own depravity. For the foolish Pharisee stood there bold and broad, lifting up his eyes without scruple, bearing witness of himself, and boastful. But the other feels shame at his conduct: he is afraid of his Judge, he smites upon his breast, he confesses his offences, he shows his malady as to the Physician, he prays that he may have mercy. And what is the result? Let us hear what the Judge says, "This man, He says, went down to his house justified rather than the other."

Let us therefore "pray without ceasing," according to the expression of the blessed Paul: but let us be careful to do so aright. The love of self is displeasing to God, and He rejects empty haughtiness and a proud look, puffed up often on account of that which is by no means excellent. And even if a man be good and sober, let him not on this account suffer himself to fall away into shameful pride: but rather let him remember Christ, Who says to the holy apostles, "When you have done all those things, those namely which have been commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do." For we owe unto God over all, as from the yoke of necessity, the service of slaves, and ready obedience in all things. Yes, though you lead an excellent and elect life, don't exact wages from the Lord; but rather ask of Him a gift. As being good, He will promise it you: as a loving Father, He will aid you. Restrain not yourself then from saying, "God be merciful to me the sinner."

Some brothers asked Macarius, 'How should we pray?' He said, 'There is no need to talk much in prayer. Reach out your hands often, and say, "Lord have mercy on me, as you will and as you know." But if conflict troubles you, say, "Lord, help me." He knows what is best for us, and has mercy.'

13. These are the words of the Pharisee. By contrast, the Publican "standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). See the extent of his humility, faith and self-reproach. See the utter abasement of his thoughts and feelings, and, at the same time, contrition of heart mingled with this publican's prayer. When he went up into the Temple to pray for the remission of his sins, he brought with him good advocates before God: unashamed faith, un-condemned self-reproach, contrition of heart that is not despised and humility that exalts. He linked attention to prayer most excellently. It says, "The publican standing afar off'. Not "stood", as in the case of the Pharisee, but "standing", to show that he was standing for a long time continuously praying and asking for mercy. Without any other intention or thought he paid attention only to himself and God, turning over and repeating the supplication of a single thought,' the most effective of all prayers.

14. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven" (Luke 18:13). As he stood he bowed down, and his bearing was not only that of a lowly servant, but also of a condemned man. It also proclaims a soul delivered from sin. Although still far from God, without the boldness towards Him that comes from good works, it hopes to draw near to him because it has already renounced evil and is intent on good. "Standing afar off the publican would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven", showing his self- condemnation and self-reproach' by his manner and appearance. He saw himself as unworthy either of heaven or of the earthly Temple, so he stood on the threshold of the Temple, not daring even to turn his gaze towards heaven, still less towards the God of heaven. In his intense contrition he smote upon his breast to show he was worthy of punishment. He sighed in deepest mourning, bowing his head like a condemned man, calling himself a sinner and begging with faith for forgiveness, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner". For he believed Him Who said, "Turn ye unto me, and I will turn unto you" (Zech. 1:3), and the Prophet who bore witness, "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" (cf. Ps. 32:5).

He heard the words, that I am not as the Publican. He was not angry, but pricked to the heart. The one uncovered the wound, the other seeks for its remedy. Let no one then ever put forth so cold an excuse as, I dare not, I am ashamed, I cannot open my mouth. The devils have that kind of fear. The devil would fain close against thee every door of access to God.

But the tax collector behaved in a completely opposite manner. He stood at a distance and was very far from the Pharisee not only in the space between them, but also in his attire, in his words, and in the contrition of his heart. He was ashamed to lift his eyes to heaven, considering them unworthy of contemplating things above, since they loved to look upon earthly goods and to make use of them. He "beat his breast," as if striking his heart for its wicked counsels and rousing it from sleep to awareness, and said nothing else but this: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." For all this, the tax collector "went away... more... justified" than the Pharisee. For everyone who is lofty of heart is unclean before the Lord, and "the Lord resists the proud, but gives grace... to the humble" (Prov. 3:34).

Although reported to have stood, the Publican yet differed from the Pharisee, both in his manner and his words, as well as in his having a contrite heart. For he feared to lift up his eyes to heaven, thinking unworthy of the heavenly vision those which had loved to gaze upon and wander after earthly things. He also smote his breast, striking it as it were because of the evil thoughts, and moreover rousing it as if asleep. And thus he sought only that God would be reconciled to him, as it follows, saying, God, be merciful.

Thou shalt not exalt thyself, as did the Pharisee; for "every one that exalteth himself shall be abased," and "that which is of high esteem with man is abomination with God." Thou shalt not entertain confidence in thy soul; for "a confident man shall fall into mischief." Thou shalt not go along with the foolish, but with the wise and righteous; for "he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but he that walketh with the foolish shall be known." Receive the afflictions that fall upon thee with an even mind, and the chances of life without over-much sorrow, knowing that a reward shall be given to thee by God, as was given to Job and to Lazarus.

The stern Pharisee, who in his overweening pride not only boasted of himself but also discredited the tax collector in the presence of God, made his justice void by being guilty of pride. Instead of the Pharisee, the tax collector went down justified, because he had given glory to God, the holy One. He did not dare lift his eyes but sought only to plead for mercy. He accused himself by his posture, by striking his breast, and by entertaining no other motive except propitiation. Be on your guard, therefore, and bear in mind this example of severe loss sustained through arrogance. The one guilty of insolent behavior suffered the loss of his justice and forfeited his reward by his bold self-reliance. He was judged inferior to a humble man and a sinner because in his self-exaltation he did not await the judgment of God but pronounced it himself. Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners. Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many terrible transgressions.

(in Esai 2. 12.) In like manner it is possible to be honourably elated when your thoughts indeed are not lowly, but your mind by greatness of soul is lifted up towards virtue. This loftiness of mind is seen in a cheerfulness amidst sorrow; or a kind of noble dauntlessness in trouble; a contempt of earthly things, and a conversation in heaven. And this loftiness of mind seems to differ from that elevation which is engendered of pride, just as the stoutness of a well-regulated body differs from the swelling of the flesh which proceeds from dropsy.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Of the aforementioned people, both the proud and the humble, it can rightly be understood, just as we read elsewhere: Before destruction the heart is exalted, and before glory, it is humbled (Prov. XVI). Therefore, from the words of the arrogant Pharisee, by which he deserved to be humbled, we can also take, conversely, the form of humility by which we may be exalted, so that as he, considering both the vices of the worse and his own virtues, was lifted up to ruin, we, seeing not only our own sloth but also the virtues of the better, may be humbled to glory, that each of us may humbly and submissively implore this before himself: Almighty God, have mercy on your suppliant, because I am not like your innumerable servants, exalted by the contempt of the world, glorious by the merit of justice, angelic in the praise of chastity, nor like many of those who, after public crimes, have deserved to be devoted to you by repenting. Who also, if by your granting grace I do any good, I do not know with what end I do it or by what strictness it should be weighed by you.

Amen I say to you. After he has described the conditions of the persons and of the prayers, here now in the third place he describes the conditions of being heard. Moreover, the condition of being heard is described here with respect to personal judgment and with respect to universal edict.

First therefore, as regards the personal judgment, he says: Amen I say to you: This man went down to his house justified rather than the other, that is, "more than that one," because the Pharisee went down justified according to his own opinion, but this man according to truth. Whence the Lord esteems one humble supplication of a penitent sinner more than the innumerable actions of some just man presuming upon himself. On account of which he says above in the fifteenth chapter: "There is joy among the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance than over ninety-nine just, who do not need penance," that is, who consider themselves not to be in need—in which human pride is wonderfully restrained, so that it may not presume upon its own merits. On account of this also God rejected the proud Jewish people and chose the humble populace of the Gentile nations, whose figure this Pharisee and this publican bear. Whence the Gloss: "Typically the Pharisee designates the people of the Jews, who from the justifications of the Law extols his merits and by being proud withdraws; the humbled publican designates the Gentile, who, placed far from God, confesses his sins and by lamenting draws near to God and is exalted." Therefore it is said in Romans eleven: "Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you either." If therefore God repels the just on account of pride, how much more the impious and the proud; First Peter four: "If the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the impious and the sinner appear"?

Second, as to the universal decree, he adds: Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Here a general judgment is given concerning the humble and the proud; whence the Gloss: "The controversy of the Pharisee and the publican having been set forth, the judge's sentence is given, so that pride may be guarded against." In this judgment the humble is universally preferred to the proud, because the proud man ought to be cast down, according to what is said in Obadiah: "If you have been exalted like an eagle, and if you have placed your nest among the stars," etc.; and Job 20: "If his pride ascends up to heaven, and his head touches the clouds, he shall perish in the end like a dunghill." On account of which, Proverbs 16: "Pride precedes destruction"; and on the contrary, the humble just man is exalted: Job 22: "He who has been humbled shall be in glory, and he who has cast down his eyes, he shall be saved." And therefore 1 Peter, last chapter: "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation." Concerning both of these together, Proverbs 18: "Before destruction the heart of man is exalted, and before he is glorified, he is humbled"; because, as is said in Proverbs 29, "humility follows the proud, and glory shall receive the humble in spirit." And this is what is said in Sirach 20: "There is an abasement because of glory, and there is one who from humility shall lift up his head." — Whence we have an example here in the Pharisee and the publican, an example in the Jewish and Gentile peoples, an example in Saul the reprobate and David the elect, and the supreme example in Lucifer and Jesus Christ. Whence according to this judgment the governance of the whole universe runs its course.

And note that this same judgment was set forth above in chapter fourteen concerning those invited to the wedding feast, and is now repeated here; but not without reason, because humility is twofold: one is of charity, by which one voluntarily humbles oneself; the other is the humility of truth, by which one thinks lowly of oneself. Above, therefore, he said this in order to incite to the humility of charity; here he repeats the same in order to incite to the humility of truth, as is apparent, because the publican on account of consciousness of his evil deserts was compelled to think the lowest things of himself. This twofold humility, moreover, is necessary for us, namely of truth in the intellect and of charity in the affection, so that the pride of presumption and of ambition may be excluded from us; and therefore for conveying these things, this judgment is not unreasonably repeated.

The liars and the proud, too, He threatens; the former thus: "Woe to them that call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter;" and the latter: "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." "For he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be humbled."

Confession is the beginning of glory, not the full desert of the crown; nor does it perfect our praise, but it initiates our dignity; and since it is written, "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," whatever has been before the end is a step by which we ascend to the summit of salvation, not a terminus wherein the full result of the ascent is already gained. He is a confessor; but after confession his peril is greater, because the adversary is more provoked. He is a confessor; for this cause he ought the more to stand on the side of the Lord's Gospel, since he has by the Gospel attained glory from the Lord. For the Lord says, "To whom much is given, of him much shall be required; and to whom more dignity is ascribed, of him more service is exacted." Let no one perish by the example of a confessor; let no one learn injustice, let no one learn arrogance, let no one learn treachery, from the manners of a confessor. He is a confessor, let him be lowly and quiet; let him be in his doings modest with discipline, so that he who is called a confessor of Christ may imitate Christ whom he confesses. For since He says, "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted; " and since He Himself has been exalted by the Father, because as the Word, and the strength, and the wisdom of God the Father, He humbled Himself upon earth, how can He love arrogance, who even by His own law enjoined upon us humility, and Himself received the highest name from the Father as the reward of His humility? He is a confessor of Christ, but only so if the majesty and dignity of Christ be not afterwards blasphemed by him. Let not the tongue which has confessed Christ be evil-speaking; let it not be turbulent, let it not be heard jarring with reproaches and quarrels, let it not after words of praise, dart forth serpents' venom against the brethren and God's priests. But if one shall have subsequently been blameworthy and obnoxious; if he shall have wasted his confession by evil conversation; if he shall have stained his life by disgraceful foulness; if, finally, forsaking the Church in which he has become a confessor, and severing the concord of unity, he shall have exchanged his first faith for a subsequent unbelief, he may not flatter himself on account of his confession that he is elected to the reward of glory, when from this very fact his deserving of punishment has become the greater.

Thou shalt not exalt thyself, nor give over-confidence to thy soul. Thy soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse.

The whole secret of the practical success of Christendom lies in the Christian humility, however imperfectly fulfilled. For with the removal of all question of merit or payment, the soul is suddenly released for incredible voyages. If we ask a sane man how much he merits, his mind shrinks instinctively and instantaneously. It is doubtful whether he merits six feet of earth. But if you ask him what he can conquer—he can conquer the stars. Thus comes the thing called Romance, a purely Christian product. A man cannot deserve adventures; he cannot earn dragons and hippogriffs. The mediaeval Europe which asserted humility gained Romance; the civilization which gained Romance has gained the habitable globe.

For the truth is much stranger even than it appears in the formal doctrine of the sin of pride. It is not only true that humility is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. It is also true that vanity is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. Vanity is social—it is almost a kind of comradeship; pride is solitary and uncivilized. Vanity is active; it desires the applause of infinite multitudes; pride is passive, desiring only the applause of one person, which it already has. Vanity is humorous, and can enjoy the joke even of itself; pride is dull, and cannot even smile. ... Stevenson had found that the secret of life lies in laughter and humility. Self is the gorgon. Vanity sees it in the mirror of other men and lives. Pride studies it for itself and is turned to stone.

As a matter of fact, the strongest nations are those, like Prussia or Japan, which began from very mean beginnings, but have not been too proud to sit at the feet of the foreigner and learn everything from him. Almost every obvious and direct victory has been the victory of the plagiarist. This is, indeed, only a very paltry by-product of humility, but it is a product of humility, and, therefore, it is successful. Prussia had no Christian humility in its internal arrangements; hence its internal arrangements were miserable. But it had enough Christian humility slavishly to copy France (even down to Frederick the Great's poetry), and that which it had the humility to copy it had ultimately the honour to conquer. The case of the Japanese is even more obvious; their only Christian and their only beautiful quality is that they have humbled themselves to be exalted.

15. What happened then'? "This man", says the Lord, "went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:14). As the devil is conceit itself and pride is his own particular evil, it defeats and swallows up any human virtue with which it is mixed. Whereas humility is the virtue of the good angels, and defeats any human evil that comes upon fallen mankind. Humility is the chariot by which we ascend to God, like those clouds which are to carry up to God those who would dwell for endless ages with Him, as foretold by the Apostle: "We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:17). Humility is the same as such a cloud. It is formed by repentance, releases streams of tears; brings out the worthy from among the unworthy and leads them up to unite them with God, justified by His free gift for the gratitude of their free disposition.

16. At first the Publican evilly appropriated other people's goods; later he renounced dishonesty and by not justifying himself, was justified. The Pharisee did not lay claim to other people's possessions, but by justifying himself he was condemned. What will befall those who do lay claim to other people's possessions and attempt to justify themselves?

17. Let us leave them, as the Lord does, for words will not convince such people. Sometimes it happens that we humble ourselves when we pray, and we may imagine that we shall be rewarded with the same justification as the Publican. But it is not so. We must consider the fact that the Publican was despised by the Pharisee to his face, even after he had abandoned sin, and he condemned himself with contempt, not only not contradicting the Pharisee but joining in with his accusations against him.

18. When you abandon your evildoing, do not contradict those who despise or reproach you because of it. Join them in condemning yourself for what you are like and, through contrite prayer, take refuge in the forgiveness of God alone, realizing that you are a rescued publican. Many have called themselves sinners, and so do we, but dishonor tests the heart. The great Paul is far removed from pharisaic boasting, but he wrote to those in Corinth who were speaking in tongues, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Cor. 14:18). (He who elsewhere calls himself the off-scouring of all things, writes these words to restrain those who look down on those who did not have this gift, cf. 1 Cor. 4:13). If therefore Paul, who is far removed from pharisaic boasting, can write such words, it is also possible for someone to say the same words as the Publican and be humble in speech like him, but not to be justified as he was. To the Publican's words must be added his renunciation of evil, his soul's disposition, his contrition and his patience. David shows us by his actions that anyone who considers himself guilty before God and repents must believe that the reproach and contempt of others towards him is just and to be endured. After he had sinned, when he heard Shimei speaking ill of him, he said to those who wanted to retaliate, "Let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David" (2 Sam. 16:10). According to him, God's forgiveness of David's sin against him had posted the man there. Yet David was struggling at that time with a great and terrible calamity, as Absalom had just risen up in revolt against him (2 Sam. 15:7ff).

19. Leaving Jerusalem against his will and with unbearable grief, he fled as far as the foot of the Mount of Olives. There, to make the calamity worse, he met Shimei throwing stones at him, cursing him mercilessly and insulting him shamelessly (2 Sam. 16:5ff). He called him a bloodthirsty man and a criminal, as if to remind the King, to his disgrace, of the incident with Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam. 11:3-15). He did not stop after cursing him once or twice and throwing a few stones, and words that strike harder than stones. It says the King with all his men went on with Shimei going along the mountainside following the King, cursing him, throwing stones from the side and spattering him with mud. The King did not lack men to stop him. Abishai, his commander, unable to endure it, said to the King, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord and king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head" (2 Sam. 16:9). But David restrained him and all his servants, saying to them, "Let him curse. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day" (2 Sam. 16:12).

20. The happenings which took place in those days are shown in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, fulfilled for ever by righteousness. If someone really accounts himself guilty of eternal punishment, he will courageously endure not just dishonor but also harm, disease and, in fact, every kind of misfortune and ill-treatment. He who shows such patience, as though in debt and guilty, is delivered by a very light condemnation, temporary and ephemeral, saved from truly grievous, unbearable and unending punishment. Sometimes he may even he delivered from dangers threatening him now, because God's kindness begins from that point, due to his patience. Someone chastened by God said, "I will bear the chastening of the Lord, because I have sinned against him" (cf. Micah 7:9 LXX).

21. May we, chastened not by the Lord's wrath and anger hut by His mercy, not be cast down by God's punishment, but like the Psalmist may we be raised up at the end by the grace and love towards mankind of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory, might, honor and worship, together with the Father and the life-giving Spirit, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

(de Inc. Dei Nat. Hom. 5.) This parable represents to us two chariots on the race course, each with two charioteers in it. In one of the chariots it places righteousness with pride, in the other sin and humility. You see the chariot of sin outstrip that of righteousness, not by its own strength but by the excellence of humility combined with it, but the other is defeated not by righteousness, but by the weight and swelling of pride. For as humility by its own elasticity rises above the weight of pride, and leaping up reaches to God, so pride by its great weight easily depresses righteousness. Although therefore thou art earnest and constant in well doing, yet thinkest thou mayest boast thyself, thou art altogether devoid of the fruits of prayer. But thou that bearest a thousand loads of guilt on thy conscience, and only thinkest this thing of thyself that thou art the lowest of all men, shalt gain much confidence before God. And He then goes on to assign the reason of His sentence. For every one who exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (in Ps. 142). The word humility has various meanings. There is the humility of virtue, as, A humble and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Ps. 51:17.) There is also a humility arising from sorrows, as, He has humbled my life upon the earth. (Ps. 142:3.) There is a humility derived from sin, and the pride and insatiability of riches. For can any thing be more low and debased than those who grovel in riches and power, and count them great things?

(Hom. de Prof. Ev.) This inflation of pride can cast down even from heaven the man that taketh not warning, but humility can raise a man up from the lowest depth of guilt. The one saved the Publican before the Pharisee, and brought the thief into Paradise before the Apostles; the other entered even into the spiritual powers. But if humility though added to sin has made such rapid advances, as to pass by pride united to righteousness, how much swifter will be its course when you add to it righteousness? It will stand by the judgment-seat of God in the midst of the angels with great boldness. Moreover if pride joined to righteousness had power to depress it, unto what a hell will it thrust men when added to sin? This I say not that we should neglect righteousness, but that we should avoid pride.

Someone might perhaps wonder why the Pharisee, although he spoke only a few words with haughtiness, was nevertheless condemned, while Job spoke very many great things about himself (Job 29:7–25), yet received a crown? This is because the Pharisee began to prattle in praise of himself when no one was compelling him to do so, and condemned others when no benefit prompted it. But Job was compelled to enumerate his virtues by the fact that his friends were pressing him, bearing down on him more heavily than the calamity itself, saying that he was suffering for his sins; and he enumerated his good deeds for the glory of God and so that people would not grow faint on the path of virtue. For if people had come to the conviction that the deeds which Job had done were sinful deeds and that he was suffering on account of them, they would have begun to withdraw from performing these very deeds, and thus instead of being hospitable they would have become inhospitable, instead of merciful and righteous they would have become merciless and unjust. For such were the deeds of Job. Thus Job enumerates his good deeds so that many would not suffer harm. Such were Job's reasons. We say nothing of the fact that in his very words, seemingly grandiloquent, perfect humility shines through. For "if only I were as in the former months," he says, "as in the days when God watched over me" (Job 29:2). Do you see? He ascribes everything to God and does not condemn others, but rather himself endures condemnation from his friends. But upon the Pharisee, who attributes everything to himself and not to God, and who needlessly condemns others, condemnation is justly brought. For everyone who "exalts himself" shall be humbled, being condemned by God, "and he who humbles himself" through self-reproach "shall be exalted," being justified by God. As it is also said: "Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together; speak, that you may be justified" (Isa. 43:26).

But should any one perchance marvel that the Pharisee for uttering a few words in his own praise is condemned, while Job, though he poured forth many, is crowned, I answer, that the Pharisee spoke these at the same time that he groundlessly accused others; but Job was compelled by an urgent necessity to enumerate his own virtues for the glory of God, that men might not fall away from the path of virtue.