In Hosea, God says to Ephraim and Judah, "This love of yours is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears." When the heat of the sun comes up, the dew dries up.

Today, we can ask ourselves how solid and lasting is our love for God? Does our love for God disappear as quickly as pride kicks in? Or when my sense of following the rules of religion has been satisfied?

The Pharisee in Jesus' parable prides himself as not grasping, unjust or adulterous - like the rest of humankind. He also admires himself as one who fasts regularly and pays tithes. He is satisfied with himself and therefore does not seem to love God any more when he is so full of himself. His love for God seems to be fleeting like the morning dew.

Am I like this Pharisee, contented with myself after fulfilling my religious duty?

Or am I like the tax collector who beats himself up by saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner"?

The tax collector has a more lasting love for God than the Pharisee because he acknowledges his need for God and is dependent on God. The more we constantly rely on God, the stronger our love for God. We continue to love God - our love for God is strong - because we continually reach out to God in our sinfulness.