The gospel reading for this week is the parable about two very different men, a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to pray at the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a familiar story. In fact, it is so familiar that some of the surprising edge has worn smooth with the retelling. To grasp its meaning more fully, we need to listen again with fresh ears and open hearts. A little background information might be helpful.

In the first century, tax collectors were considered the dregs of society. Taxation in the far-flung Roman Empire was not regulated by a system of fair and agreed-upon rates. Rome wanted to wring as much money from their conquered people as possible. Those who collected taxes were not IRS-type civil servants struggling with an unpopular, demanding, and difficult responsibility. Tax …