The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

Catechesis on the Parables of Jesus: The Publican and the Pharisee

Authored by Msgr. Paul J. Watson in Issue #29.1 of The Sower
In this series of articles on the parables we have been seeking to implement the principles of interpretation of the Scriptures outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 109-119). The Catechism itself is a summary of the living tradition of the Church, and as such, represents the Church's interpretation of Scripture. We have chosen for this issue of The Sower the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. The Jerusalem Bible offers two cross-references in the Old Testament: Proverbs 21:2 "A man's conduct may strike him as upright, Yahweh, however, weighs the heart", and Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his faults will not prosper, he who confesses and renounces them will find mercy". The Catechism also picks up the same two themes in reference to this parable - paragraph 2559 speaks of the virtue of humility in prayer, while paragraph 2613 focuses on the basic attitude of prayer for God's mercy.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Inspired Through Art: Our Preferential Option for the Poor
By Jem Sullivan
“The option or love of preference for the poor . . . is an option, or a special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness. It affects the life of each Christian inasmuch as he or she seeks to imitate the life of Christ, but it applies equally to our social responsibilities and... Read more
From the Shepherds: Serving the Poor: Taking Five Steps with Two Feet
By Bishop William Wack, CSC
Free When I served as director of André House, a ministry of hospitality to the poor and homeless in downtown Phoenix, we often spoke about “the two feet of service”: direct service to those in need and working for justice and a long-term solution. Both are important, and each one informs and strengthens the other. Inspired by Dorothy Day and under the... Read more
Radically Available
By Lani Bogart
Free In prayer after receiving Holy Communion, I recognized in my heart the voice of God the Father. “I want you to be radically available.” As Director of Religious Education in a large parish, I had an idea of what it meant to be radically available while working full time. It meant being available to God by showing up for daily Mass and prayer. It... Read more

Pages

Watch Tutorial Videos

We've put together several quick and easy tutorial videos to show you how to use this website.

Watch Now