Given By Rev. Madison Shockley October 27, 2019
Our reading is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. We look at the figure of the tax collector who dares to approach the temple. The Pharisee has the privilege/right to approach the alter to talk to God. The tax collector has no power, no privilege. Tax collectors were seen as collaborators with those who oppressed the Jewish people. Today, many of us are like the Pharisee. We come to church regularly. We have privilege in society. We need to check ourselves. We do not want to be self-righteous as we work for justice. Our position of privilege is not an entitlement. Since we are not entitled to our privilege, we must do something about it. We must work to change the system so others can have what we have too. Those who feel entitled to the privilege are sometimes called as being “born on third base”. The Forbes 400 list has a cut-off at 2.1 billion. We must our power to help change society to help the poor. For those that much has been given, much will be required. We are all children of God.
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