There's an old joke about how St. Peter goes about giving a tour of heaven to a new arrival. St. Peter shows the newcomer how the lucky residents of heaven are segregated by religion. "Here are the Baptists," says St. Peter. Moving on, he says "Here are the Lutherans." When he comes to the Catholic section, St. Peter tells his new resident to be quiet. "Why must I be quiet here?" asks the newcomer. "Because the Catholics think they're the only ones here," answers St. Peter.

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who seems to think that he's the only one bound for heaven. A religious leader and a lowly tax collector are in the Temple together. "The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself," Jesus says. "'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'"

The Pharisee clearly believes that his behavior has set him apart from, not just practitioners of other religions, but also from the less zealous members of his own faith. He seems to believe that he is "not like the rest of humanity," but better. And he wants to thank God that he is better than the rest of humanity. "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled," Jesus concludes, "and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

The kind of self exaltation that the Pharisee exhibits is, of course, an absurd posture to take before God and before the rest of our brothers and sisters. We cannot, in the name of faith or morality, consider ourselves superior to other people. The Gospel message calls us to become fully human, to reach out in love and compassion to our neighbors, not to separate ourselves and look down on others.

I can't pretend to know the floor plan of heaven, but I would guess that there are no private rooms for individuals or groups. The Kingdom of Heaven is not earned by performance or pedigree, and God is not bound by the distinctions we make between religions, faiths, denominations, or practices. Faith is a gift to those with the humility and grace to accept it.

Prayer is also an exercise in humility. Prayer is a declaration of our dependence on God for all that we are and all that we have. It is not a means of giving a campaign speech arguing for our admission into God's kingdom. The Kingdom of God, today's reading suggests, is not a beauty contest or even a spirituality contest. If it is a contest at all, it is a humility contest.

Who ever exalts himself will be humbled. There are, perhaps times and places where self promotion is necessary --- at work or in society when a person or group is overlooked. But prayer and worship is no such place. Prayer and worship should draw us into deeper union with God and with our neighbors, not separation and superiority.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.