A Parable about Humility in Prayer

Today's focal passage is the second of 2 parables that Jesus told about prayer.  Last week the parable was about patience and persistence in prayer.  Today's parable is about humility, not just in prayer but in all of life.  Jesus directed this parable to a certain type of person, self-righteous and judgmental.  Of course I don't know anyone like that but ... maybe you do :)

This week we are going to do something different ... Take a moment to read Luke 18:9-14 (CEB)

Jesus told this parable to certain people who had convinced themselves that they were righteous and who looked on everyone else with disgust:  “Two people went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like everyone else—crooks, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’  But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’  I tell you, this person went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.”

Tax collectors were notorious cheats and sinners, they took advantage of the poor, and they were outcast from the community.  Here we see the conversion of the tax collector through this humble prayer, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’   And I don't mean to say that the prayer had the power to convert, what I am saying is that the prayer is a sign that conversion (change/transformation) had happened within the man.

Have you ever heard of the Jesus Prayer?  The Jesus Prayer emerged around the 6th century as a way of reaching inner stillness.  The classic Jesus Prayer is, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," but there are many ways to adapt the words to suit your own breathing pattern.   The Jesus Prayer is actually the most famous breath prayer in history but it is a little too long for me to breathe in the classic form so after a few minutes I usually shorten it to "Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy" and then simply "Lord, have mercy" and finally it fades into simply, "Lord, Lord, Lord."   As I breathe with these words on my lips, I often travel through fire but eventually I am overcome with peace ... that peace that surpasses my understanding.

Many days I sit down to pray and I am distracted.  I have a need to focus.  This is when I pick up my prayer beads ...

 Since the earliest of times,
people have used pebbles or a string of knots or beads
on a cord to keep track of prayers offered to God.
Virtually every major religious tradition in the world
uses some form of prayer beads.

Source:  http://www.kingofpeace.org/prayerbeads.htm

3 different kinds of Prayer Beads from my personal prayer altar: 

Here is my way of praying with Anglican Prayer Beads (see above, the black beaded one) and below is a diagram of how the prayer beads are constructed.  If you don't have prayer beads and don't want to make your own you can use small rocks, buttons, or pennies in a mandala style.  You can also take a string and tie knots in it.  You can adapt your prayer beads to your needs and the prayers you want to say.  In the photo above on the right hand side I created this small set of prayer beads which contains only 1 set of weeks but it is portable and able to fit nicely around my thumb.  I just continue to circle around the beads as long as I want to until I am ready to emerge.  However, adaptations do lessen the rich symbolism.  You can take the Link above to King of Peace for a good read about the symbolism found in Anglican Prayer Beads.  The diagram below is my drawing of the diagram on the King of Peace Website. 

And now, let us pray:  

 

Hold and Pray the Cross:  In the Name of God my Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer

Hold and Pray the "Invitatory" Bead:  Come Holy Spirit

Hold and Pray the "Cruciform" Bead:  Light of Christ, Shine on my Path

Move to the right (or the left if that seems more intuitive:) around the circle.  

on each of the 7 smaller beads, pray "God, show mercy to me, a sinner" 
which is the verse which emerged in our passage ... 
OR pray whatever form emerges from within you as you breathe!

Each time you reach the cruciform beads, repeat your cruciform prayer,

When you reach the Invitatory Bead at the end, repeat "Come Holy Spirit."

Finally, when you arrive home at the Cross, repeat the Names of God.  Say Amen.

Sit in the stillness ... and be grateful!

Sit in the stillness ...

Be grateful ... 

Sit ... Be

Be ...

Amen.