This evening, H.H. Pope Tawadros II delivered his weekly sermon during the Wednesday Meeting from St. Anthony’s Church at the Papal Residence in the Abbassia Cathedral. The sermon was broadcast on Christian satellite channels and the online C.O.C. Channel affiliated with the Church’s Media Center.

The meeting resumed after a ten-week break due to the Church’s festive season, as His Holiness had previously announced in his last Wednesday sermon before the break on December 18th.

His Holiness launched a new series of sermons titled: “Pairs in the Parables of Christ,” based on the Sunday readings of the Holy Fast, emphasizing the significance of parables as follows:

1. Simple– They convey spiritual truths in a straightforward manner.
2. Deep – They stimulate the human mind to delve deeper into Biblical moral and spiritual thought, inspiring renewal for a better life.

His Holiness reflected on the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector from this week’s readings through the question: “Where do you stand—on the side of the Pharisee or the Tax Collector?” He read from Luke 18:9-14 and Matthew 6:1-2, emphasizing that the central message of this parable is humility.

Pope Tawadros compared the Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

1. Both belonged to Jewish sects – The Pharisee was part of a religious group known for strict adherence to the Law, while the tax collector belonged to a financial profession similar to modern-day tax collectors.
2. The Pharisees were hypocrites, preoccupied with themselves and others, whereas the Tax Collector in this parable was focused on God.
3. The Pharisee performed acts of righteousness to be praised by people, whereas the Tax Collector sought to glorify God.
4. The Pharisee stood boasting of his self-righteousness: “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). Instead, we should examine ourselves in private prayer, and fasting is one of the Church’s spiritual remedies to help a person become self-aware. The Pharisee also despised others, a direct result of the sin of pride. In contrast, the Tax Collector stood at a distance, humbled, unable to lift his eyes to heaven due to his contrition: “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13)
   Beating the chest symbolizes a plea for God to remove a heart of stone, filled with sin, and grant a pure heart.
5. The Pharisee spoke at length, proclaiming his righteousness, yet never sought mercy. On the other hand, the Tax Collector spoke only four words, acknowledged his sinfulness, and pleaded for God’s mercy.
6. The Pharisee did not repent, whereas the Tax Collector repented, confessed, and humbled himself: “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly” (Luke 1:52).

His Holiness recommended reading the Book of Job carefully during the Holy Fast, encouraging everyone to extract a spiritual principle from it that will save them from self-righteousness.

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