Comparisons

How often do you compare yourself to others? It is easy to do and most people fall into this sinful habit quite frequently. You see someone doing something wrong, and say to yourself, "well, I'd never do that", and then feel good about how wonderful you are. Yes, there are also some people who do the opposite. They will see a good deed and get depressed because they say, "I can never do that much good". Either way, the comparisons are wrong.

In yesterday's gospel reading, our Lord is showing us that these types of comparisons are never good for our souls. The Pharisee compared himself to the tax collector, and in the end the Pharisee was condemned whereas the tax collector was justified with God. The true difference is that the Pharisee looked for someone to be "better than" and the tax collector only saw his own sin.

St. Paul tells us in one of his letters that we are never to compare ourselves with others, but always to compare ourselves with ourselves. In other words, we ask ourselves, "How am I doing? Am I better than I was before, or am I worse?" If we do that, we will always see our improvements rightly as well as see our failures rightly. We did both, and it does not really matter whether someone else did better or worse than we did, because their behavior does not have a part in the judgment we will receive from the Lord.

So, how are you doing? Is it better (or worse) than someone else? Forget about it. Are you doing better than you were before? That is where to focus, and keep your heart fixed on the grace of Christ Who can help you to be better in His sight.