Back when I was in school, so very long ago, I used to like it when teachers would grade on a curve.  When the teacher did that, to get an A you didn't need to get 100% on the test-- you just had to do better than anyone else.  So even if the test was really hard and you did poorly, you could still end up with a great grade if your peers did even worse than you did.
          We like to think that God grades on a curve as well, I think.  That's what the Pharisee is doing in today's Gospel reading (Lk 18: 9-14).  He seems to think he's pretty holy, in fact that he is an "A" student, because he's better than other folks.  After all, he's not greedy, dishonest, adulterous.  He's not like that tax collector.  He even fasts twice a week and tithes correctly.
            So he should get an "A", right?
                But God doesn't grade on a curve.  We are all to be "perfect, as your holy Father is perfect," as Jesus says.
             That's why the tax collector has it right.  The point isn't that we do pretty well, most of the time.  The point is that sin is sin, and always offends God.  We all do it. We all need forgiveness.  
             Especially during Lent it is worth remembering that what matters isn't that we think we are better than others-- and we probably aren't anyway.  What matters is that we recognize our sin, and seek forgiveness.
             God doesn't grade on a curve.