30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus presents a striking parable that contrasts two very different approaches to prayer: one from a proud Pharisee and the other from a humble tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, boasts of his religious observance, while the tax collector, standing at a distance, cannot even lift his eyes to heaven. Instead, he pleads, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Lk 18:13). Jesus ends the parable with a profound truth: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 18:14). This passage invites us to examine the posture of our hearts in prayer: are we seeking to impress God or to receive His mercy?

Gustave Doré’s 19th-century engraving The Pharisee and the Publican masterfully captures this spiritual contrast in black and white. Doré, a prolific French illustrator and engraver, was known for his dramatic and deeply expressive Biblical illustrations, particularly in his work for La Sainte Bible published in 1866. The engraving medium, an intricate and precise art form, serves to sharpen the visual dichotomy: the Pharisee is elevated, eyes raised in proud confidence, while the tax collector is bowed low, wrapped in sorrow and humility. The starkness of the black-and-white image highlights the moral clarity of Jesus’ teaching: true holiness is found not in outward displays, but in a contrite heart.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “humility is the foundation of prayer” (CCC 2559). Like the tax collector, we must recognize our need for God's mercy before we can truly encounter His grace. The Pharisee’s prayer, while outwardly devout, is inwardly self-centered; he measures himself against others rather than against God’s holiness. By contrast, the tax collector, despised in society, is justified before God because he places his trust in divine mercy. His prayer echoes the heart of the Jesus Prayer, a tradition in Christian spirituality: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Doré’s engraving invites us not only to look at the figures but to locate ourselves in the scene. At different moments in life, we may resemble either the Pharisee or the tax collector. Pride can subtly infiltrate even our religious practices, making us believe we earn God’s favor. Yet Scripture and tradition remind us that justification is a gift, not a reward. As St. Augustine once said, “God gives where He finds empty hands.” It is the open, humble heart that becomes fertile ground for grace.

This week, let us take time in prayer to echo the words of the tax collector. Let us come before God not with self-assurance, but with trust in His mercy. As we approach the altar at Mass, may we do so in the spirit of humility, praying with confidence in the One who came “not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk 2:17). And may Doré’s powerful image remain with us, a visual call to deeper repentance, gratitude, and authentic prayer.