Attitude

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Have you hear the saying “Attitude is everything” – if you go into a bookstore and look in the self-help section you will find books on attitude; a lot of motivational speakers will talk about your attitude and the impact it has on the quality of your life and your relationships; and perhaps you have even seen that saying “attitude is everything” on t-shirts - which more often than not is being worn by a teenager.

I was talking with my daughter just the other day – she has two little girls – one of them is 3 years old and the other is just over a year old – it was interesting our conversation because she said that the 3 year old got up that morning with an attitude – “little miss attitude” was how she described her.

We pickup on other people’s attitudes don’t we – we know, we can tell when someone has an “attitude” with us or not. Well, if we, with our limited knowledge and abilities can pick up on the attitude of those we come into contact with – how much more can our heavenly Father – who knows everything – pick up on our attitudes?

This week’s readings challenge each of us to examine the attitude with which we approach God in prayer – you might say the quality of our prayer reflects our attitude towards God.

In our first reading we hear that “the Lord is a God of justice” who plays “no favorites” between the rich and the poor or between the powerful and the weak – God’s mercy extends to all peoples – saints and sinners alike – and why is that, because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

And even though God is not “unduly partial toward the weak” He hears the cry of the oppressed, the wail of the orphan, and the widow who pours out her complaint. And why is that – certainly because our God is a God of mercy – but also because these people represent those who in our society – in our world – who have no voice, no power, no means with which to address their needs – and they know this and their attitude reflects this – it is such that they know they are dependent on our God of Justice – that without God they can do nothing – a lesson each that of us needs to learn – a lesson that each of us needs to take to heart.

If you have the right attitude – if you willingly serve the Lord your prayers will be heard – your petitions will reach the heavens, pierce the clouds and not rest till it reaches its goal, and not withdraw till the Most High responds. But we have to have a healthy relationship with God – He has to come first in all things and we must understand that without Him and His blessings we can no nothing.

That is a hard lesson to learn, a difficult pill for some to swallow and often times you find those people who in order to learn this lesson have to hit “rock” bottom – because it is only then that they realize there is no where else to go but up and there is no way to get there without God. No one – no one here today, in the past, in this country – no one in this world can do “it” (can make it, can be somebody) on their own – and those that think they can are wrong and they are arrogant just like the Pharisee in our Gospel reading.

Two men went up to the temple to pray - one - in the eyes of the world was a righteous man - the other - in the eyes of the world was a sinner.

The "righteous" man - a Pharisee - was a good man – he fasted twice a week and paid tithes on his income – but he had an attitude – he had fallen into the sin of pride which blinded him and ultimately became an impediment – a stumbling block – between him and God – he talked as if he was perfect, as if he didn’t need God and he put himself not just above the tax collector but above the rest of humanity. I can imagine that when he talked with people they picked up on his attitude.

The "sinner" man - the tax collector – knew who he was – a lost sinner with no hope except God – he would not dare to raise his eyes but beat his breast saying “O God, be merciful to me a sinner”. (Jesus Prayer) And Jesus tells us today that it was the sinner that went away justified not the “good” man who exalted himself – for the exalted will be humbled and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Our prayers will only be heard if they come from the heart – if we have the right attitude. The Pharisee was a good man in the eyes of the world – but he allowed his religious practices to go to his head, he judged others, he didn’t acknowledge that except for the grace of God he could have been that tax collector.

We must my brothers and sisters simply admit the truth about ourselves: we do not know everything, we do not do everything right, we are all imperfect and we are all sinners. Nevertheless we must also recognize that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that we are called and empowered to help build the kingdom of God with our God-given gifts and blessings. Only the humble are open to learning, only the humble have true hope. Only the humble can make this world a better place.

At the beginning of each Mass we have the Penitential Rite – the purpose of which is to acknowledge first that we are human and that we sin and to put ourselves in the proper condition for the celebration of the Mass it is desirable to confess our sins and pray for forgiveness – what is your attitude when you pray that prayer? - I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God.