The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Friar Musings

The image accompanying the scripture posts this week is a 1661 painting by the Dutch artist Barent Fabritius. It used a didactic layout as a means of story telling and teaching. The center of the frame shows the Pharisee (on the left) and the Tax Collector (on the right). They are in the Temple in prayer. There is much to be discerned in their attire, posture, and demeanor. But the artist is clear about the end result. The one who prays with a haughty attitude exists to the left accompanied by a demon. The one who prays humbly exist with the angels attending.

Image credit: De Farizeeër en de tollenaar (The Pharisee and Publican), Barent Fabritius, 1661, Public Domain

Dispositions of Prayer

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Friar Musings

This coming Sunday is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. This gospel of the Pharisee and tax collector in prayer follows the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge (18:1-8). “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. (Luke 18:10) While the common thread is certainly prayer, there are other aspects which bind together these two narratives. One of Luke’s ongoing themes is the inclusivity of the Gospel. In these two parables, God who hears all prayers is addressed by a (saintly and probably poor) widow and the sinful (and probably rich) male tax collector. Luke continues to demonstrate that the Reign of God is open to all – a message of keen importance to his Gentile audience. Continue reading →

A Final Word from Jesus

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. Today is the final post on the parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow. Today we hear Jesus: 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Continue reading →

The Widow

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. In yesterday’s post we looked in detail at the judge. Today we turn our attention to the persistent widow. The entire parable rings with the echo of Sir 35:14-24 (note: depending on translation you find verse numbering slightly different – also, this is part of the OT reading for the 30th Sunday in Year C) Continue reading →

The Judge

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. Today we consider the Judge:

2 “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”

Continue reading →

A Judge and a Widow

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. After several days of important context, today we move into the heart of the parable. This parable is a twin of the parable of the neighbor in need (Luke 11:5-8). Both are used to illustrate the importance of persistence in prayer. Both present a person in need persistently pressing a request, and both parables call for reasoning from the lesser to the greater: If a neighbor or an unjust judge will respond to the urgent need and repeated request, then will not God also respond? It is an argument from lesser to the greater by which Jesus affirms the faithfulness of God – He will assuredly act on behalf of the righteous. Continue reading →

St Augustine on Prayer

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Friar Musings

Just a quick note with a link to a very long read on the topic of prayer: St. Augustine’s Letter 130, “To Proba, a Devoted Handmaid of God.” It is at least a 30 minute read, robust in its treatment of prayer and filled with Scriptural references. You can find the letter online here.

The letter begins as such:

Recollecting your request and my promise, that as soon as time and opportunity should be given by Him to whom we pray, I would write you something on the subject of prayer to God, I feel it my duty now to discharge this debt, and in the love of Christ to minister to the satisfaction of your pious desire. I cannot express in words how greatly I rejoiced because of the request, in which I perceived how great is your solicitude about this supremely important matter.

I think it will take a little “stick-to-it-ness” to follow Augustine’s thought and to absorb all that he offers on the topic of prayer. I also think it will be impossible not to walk away with some “seeds” that will give you fruit for reflection.

Pray Without Ceasing: parables

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. In yesterday’s two posts, we explored the content and setting of our upcoming gospel. Today will serve as a reminder that the importance of prayer is not appearing for the first time here in this gospel. Continue reading →

Other thoughts about the context

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Friar Musings

This Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle C. Earlier today we considered the larger textual placement of this parable in the flow of Luke’s writing, noting that there is an apocalyptic tone skipped over in the Sunday sequence of gospels, that lends a tone and content to the parable of the unjust judge/persistent widow. Now, we’ll continue to explore the context of the gospel reading. (note: two posts just to break up the long introductory material… interesting, but still long) Continue reading →

Context and the In-Between