Pastor’s Corner – October 26, 2025
Parable of Superiority – Luke 18:9-14
Before we judge the Pharisee who thinks he is better than the tax collector in our story, lest we fall into the trappings of our own superiority, we need to pause and remember that the parable is about God’s vindication. It’s easy to feel superior over those who are in their worst moments. However, no one is blameless. We all fall short and need to reflect more deeply on our own moral failings and complicity, including our own need to judge others. And finally we need to examine our collective violence and injustice we create in our world. This does not mean we should not be critical and hold those in power accountable for their destructive abuse of power.
The parable is critical of the comparison a self-righteous person makes against someone considered less worthy of a human being. The Pharisee is a religious person with social status who is well respected among his community. The tax collector in biblical times was considered an extension of Roman power who extracts unjust financial burden on people for self benefit. Here Jesus flips this comparison in the story and privileges the tax collector as one who receives God’s mercy. So what’s the point of this story?
First, one should not place one’s identity or worth based on external comparison or judgement of others. We see this all the time in our world that creates divisions in our society, creating false narratives and distortions; white supremacy, patriarchy, fascism, etc. I can fill this page with the list, including Christian nationalism! These are structural and systemic powers in our society that also empower personal destructive behaviors that thrive on self-righteousness!
Second, the story invites us to go deeper into the interior of our being; the spiritual value that our identity and self worth is profoundly connected to our relationship with God. Ultimately we are held by God’s mercy and love; there is nothing that can separate us from that grace, not even our worst moments in our lives. Come Sunday, I want to reflect with you on God’s invitation to be in touch with the very core of our being and know that we are loved, not because we have things or whatever and however the world values our lives. We stand before God as we are, and find freedom in love. And from this place we are able to dismantle both structural and system evil in our world and change how we relate with one another as human beings!
God of love, have mercy on us. You know where we are and where we desire to be. Sometimes we feel powerless, crippled by shame, guilt and brokenness. We come to you nonetheless, trusting in your grace to be whole. Touch our hearts, we pray and give us the strength, courage and faith we need today. Amen.
Pastor Dae