The Downcast Plea
“I would rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of ungodliness.”
Rebecca Brogan of John the Baptist Arts puts the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector — this week’s Gospel lesson — into contemporary dress. In the front of the image, we see a man well-dressed, well-kempt; wearing an ostentatious wedding ring, and praying most piously. But he inhabits a darkened church, and above him — perched, almost like a miter — we see a darkened doorway: his is the way of darkness. In the rear of the image, however, we see the illuminated silhouette of a figure stricken with grief, and unwilling to enter into the church.
Here is another striking image from Bryn Gilette. Besides being stretched out in an extravagant and ostentatious pose, the Pharisee is clothed in bright raiment, flowing garments. But beneath the pomp and circumstance is deadness and decay — only a skeleton is left. The other figure, meanwhile, is bowed to the ground, and indeed, nearly disappears into it. They are humble and stricken: and yet, their humility bears the character of life and reality, unlike the Pharisaical dissimulation, in which the show of piety serves only to cloak the stench of death. And there is, on this other figure, another feature: a slight glimmer, a glow — here is one who, in a way completely unperceived by them and barely perceptible by anyone else — participates in true holiness.
God, be merciful to me, a sinner!
— Luke 18:13
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Texts for This Week
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner
YouTuber Patrick Lenk seems to have made a cottage industry of repurposing sacred music from the Christian tradition and beyond as meditative background music. He’s produced not less than 5 two-hour loops of the Jesus Prayer, each chanted in a different language. As this prayer is typically associated with the Eastern Christian tradition, that it is here sung in Latin adds a subtle but spicy twist.
The text of the prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” of course echoes the prayer of the tax collector from this week’s Gospel lesson, who we might imagine would have prayed such words repeatedly in his distress — although probably not chanting them for two hours.
