Pastor's Spiritual Reflections

By Fr. Leo Schneider (10/28/2007)

Dear People of Holy Name,

There is a difference between being proud and selfrighteous. To be proud is good, as it is a sign of a proper selfrespect. We all have a God given dignity that we are to stand in, as we stand before others. Such a dignity allows us to believe in ourselves and not be taken advantage of or abused.

Arrogance is another matter. Arrogance is an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance and can express itself in an overbearing manner. Arrogance is blind to another’s dignity and becomes abusive of others.

While most of us need to work to have a healthy pride, there are those for whom arrogance has become a way of life. One such person is the Pharisee in today’s Gospel from Luke. He is the worst kind because he is religiously arrogant. With such arrogance, there is no ability to see one’s own faults, while at the same time condemning everyone else who is different. We see this kind of attitude among the religious fundamentalists of our own day.

The corrective is to be like the tax collector in the same story, who is able to admit his need for the love and grace of God. It is such honest humility that puts him in right relationship with God. I would suspect that he is also much more understanding and tolerant of people who are different than himself.

If we have all been created in the image of God and each given gifts to serve the one body of Christ, then where is there room for arrogance, especially religious arrogance? Our faith in Christ keeps us connected with each other, and recognizes that we are all called to embrace the needs of others and not stand in judgment over them. That is God’s work, not ours.

Finding the balance to be humble is difficult. Yes, we need to admit our dependence on God, but we must also be able to trust in his love for us. This takes real faith. When we do, we arrive at a true sense of pride and self-esteem. We are God’s people, created in his image. Yes, we can make mistakes, but that does not negate our original goodness. It is precisely our faith in God’s goodness that should allow us to trust in his love and forgiveness, and what is more, his grace to continue to become the great person he has called each of us to be.

There is no room for shame in such spirituality, for that would only deny who we are and our faith in the goodness of God There is no room for shame in such spirituality, for that would only deny who we are and our faith in the goodness of God

God bless you and keep you in the palm of his hand.

In Christ’s peace, Fr. Leo