Today’s Sermon in a Nutshell:

 

Today’s Sermon in a Nutshell:

“The closer one gets to God, the more sinful they see themselves.”

This is an ancient saying from the Church Fathers and it perfectly encapsulates today’s parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. For it reminds us that as grow in our relationship with Christ, the Light of Christ not only illumines our mind to God but also reveals to us the imperfections in our character; that which was shielded by the darkness.

To put this into perspective, imagine a darkened room where everything might appear perfectly clean amidst the shadows. Yet when the curtains are thrown open and the sun’s brightness is allowed to enter, suddenly we notice every speck of dust floating in the air, as well as its build up upon surfaces. The dust was always there, but now the light makes it plain and visible.

The same is true with one’s spiritual life. Christ’s intense Light shines into the darkest recesses of our being and allows us to see the true condition of our souls, revealing that which we don’t want to see, believe, or even admit.

The Pharisee stood in the front of the church, seeing himself better and more religious than all others while in reality, his pride and arrogance caused him to be far from God. On the other hand, the Publican saw his own sinfulness, acknowledged it, and repented in humility.

As we move closer towards the beginning of Great Lent, let us truly “see” ourselves in the Light of Christ, so that we might come out of the darkness, repent, and repair the brokenness of our souls.

Fr. John