Hosea 5:15 - 6:6 / Luke 18:9-14
A conversation between two persons would entail speaking and listening.
So when one speaks, the other will listen, and vice versa.
Both can’t be speaking at the same time.
And for the conversation to be enriching, both parties will be sharing and learning more about each other.
But when one party dominates the conversation and even boasts and brags about his achievements, that would be insulting and belittling the other party.
In the parable gospel, the Pharisee stood there to pray, but it was more like boasting and bragging about himself before God.
On the other hand, the tax collector has not much to say, but he acknowledged God’s mercy and he also admitted that he was a sinner.
The parable makes us reflect about relationship with God and about our prayer.
We may not be boasting and bragging about ourselves in prayer.
But when we pray, it could be that we placed ourselves first, with our needs and what we want God to do for us.
Let us remember that prayer is a relationship, a conversation where we speak and then we listen.
And let us remember that it is God whom we are talking to in prayer.
Let us humble ourselves before God, and we will be at rights with God.