Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!

 

 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

 

- Matthew 20:29-34 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus, now going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.  And the third day He will rise again."  Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.  And He said to her, "What do you wish?"  She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one of Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."  But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."  And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

 

  Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. My study Bible comments that the two blind men greet Jesus as Lord, which is the common title for God, and they also call Him Son of David, a title deeply associated with the Messiah.  It notes that although Jesus knows what we want before we ask, He calls us to ask freely so that we might learn of His mercy.  There is another, spiritual interpretation to this miracle in patristic literature, with the blind men symbolizing future generations who would come to faith only by hearing, without the benefit of seeing Christ in person (see John 20:29).  In this spiritual interpretation, the ones who tried to silence the blind men are seen as persecutors and tyrants, who in each generation try to silence the Church.  Nonetheless, under persecution, the Church all the more confesses Jesus Christ.  

We might ask ourselves how, in light of the spiritual interpretation of this story noted by my study Bible, we respond when others wish us to keep silent in expressions of our faith.  Such an expression can be as simple as wearing a cross pendant, or perhaps at times giving indication of prayer, such as giving thanks before a meal in a public place.  In the West, we can't really say we face mass movement of persecution for some things, although depending upon where we are, there are times when culturally or socially speaking, such expressions rub others, who are hostile, the wrong way, and are found to be objectionable.  This is the state of things in the Western world for some of us.  But what do we do when our expressions of compassion, inspired by faith, are seen to be objectionable?  Without any overt reference to our faith, there are times when people will seemingly find offensive things that our faith inspires us to do, which we believe are doing good for others.  Some very political matters currently come to mind, like the debate over giving gender-changing hormones to very young people who have not yet physically matured sufficiently, so that the effects on their bodies will be drastic and lifelong (see, for example, this article).  That's in addition to historical understanding of psychological maturity to make such life-altering changes which will follow for the rest of their lives, regardless of later choices.  Other issues that surround us simply have to do with the objections of those who may be hostile to faith for any reason, and don't want to be reminded of it.  But what is important is our own prayerful response to what we find in our lives, our social interactions, and our own struggles with the questions that come up for choices in the ways we live our lives.  There is a level at which we struggle to balance compassion for others with respect for different opinions.  Tolerance itself would seem to be a virtue born out of Christianity, for it is Christ Himself who faced hostility for actions such as healing these men, or preaching His gospel, a hostility born out of envy or resentment by those with official religious authority (Matthew 27:18).  What we find is that the very issue of God's kingdom breaking into the world will present spiritual challenges that don't necessarily have the explanations that justify them on logical or even legal terms, and this is because, in St. Paul's words, "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  There are times when things that are nominally good will present as a threat to those who reject the Author of the good.  These things manifest in psychological terms, and without obvious explanation.  But we will find that secondary reasons can be created to defend even irrational hatreds.  The blind men are in some ways perfect examples of this phenomenon, because of the symbolic values inherent in the setting.  Jericho was a very ancient city, even predating the development of agriculture, to 10,000 BC.  As such, during Christ's time, its reputation was one of sinfulness and iniquity, connected perhaps to the practices of the various gods worshiped throughout its history.  The parable of the Good Samaritan is set on the road going down to Jericho from Jerusalem (the opposite direction that Christ now travels in today's reading), about a man beset and beaten by robbers and left abandoned and neglected by the side of the road.  So the blindness of these men who call out to Christ in today's reading is easily seen as symbolic of the blindness of a place like Jericho, notorious for its bad practices and abuses.  Clearly in Biblical language blindness is often associated with the darkness of ignorance and therefore sin.  The lack of illumination of sight is another metaphor for spiritual blindness, light that does not "enter" into the eye.  As such we can see them as those who, unlike the ones mired in and blind to the sinfulness of their surroundings, are different in that they are aware of their affliction.  They call out to Christ the Savior, the Messiah and Deliverer (Son of David) to take them out of their state and to help them.  Even in Christ's request asking them to state what they wish from Him we see the spiritual need to name our ailments, to identify them, so that we may be healed and come to Christ in that state of awareness for His intervention in our lives and for our problems.  But what makes these blind men stand out so that people seek to make them be quiet is precisely their awareness of both their sad condition, and Christ's capacity to heal them for which they shout.  Those who are complacent with going along with blindness and spiritual darkness will resent such awareness and its overt expression of need -- and there we have a deeper metaphor for the spiritual obstacles for those whose hearts have turned to that light and desire it greatly for themselves.  Simply by loving Christ, we may find ourselves a target for offense without cause.  What we must find for ourselves is not necessarily a sense in which we must openly challenge or materially change such responses, but rather remind ourselves that our mission is to endure in faith, because this is what Christ has taught.  In His teachings and warnings of times of difficulty to come, His words declare to us that "he who endures to the end will be saved."  This message is repeated twice in Matthew's gospel, at Matthew 10:22 and 24:13, emphasizing its significance in Christ's teachings to His disciples.  We must consider what it means to endure, to simply persist in being faithful regardless of our experiences.  For a prayerful life, and endurance in faith, is powerful -- and that is what is asked of us.  Let us consider what it means to be like the blind men, aware of what we lack, and yet persisting in seeking what we know we need -- even when others who do not seek the same may be disturbed by that very seeking.  The spiritual life is powerful, and there are those who sense and feel it, even when its very existence is denied.  In this context, it's important to remember the history of monasticism within Christianity, and the faith in the power of prayer to save the world -- even on a mountain or in the desert.  "Have mercy on us, O Lord" (Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς κύριε)  would become the prayer of the Church for the whole of its existence, and remains so today

 

 

 

 

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?

 

 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.  So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him here to Me."  And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." 

 

- Matthew 17:14-21 

 

Yesterday we read that, following Peter's confession of faith and Jesus' prophecy of His Passion, after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Hear Him!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

 

  And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.  So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."  My study Bible comments that sickness in Scripture is often connected to demonic activity.  In kneeling, this father is showing humility, even though he lacks faith.  

 

Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him here to Me."  And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.  My study Bible notes that the disciples also lacked faith (as Christ will tell them in private further along in today's reading), but Christ rebukes the man for placing the blame on the disciples when it was his greater lack of faith that prevented the boy's healing.  Effectively, Jesus defends His disciples in front of the crowds, but later He rebukes them privately, teaching us that we ought first to correct people in private (see Matthew 18:15-17).  

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who notes that this rebuke is directed at the nine disciples who could not cast out the demon, whereas "the pillars" of faith -- Peter, James, and John (Galatians 2:9) -- were not included in the rebuke, as they had been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ (see yesterday's reading, above).  My study Bible further comments that this kind (to which Jesus refers) means all powers of darkness, not just those that cause a particular illness.  It says that the banishment of demons requires faith, prayer, and fasting, for there is no healing and no victory in spiritual warfare without all three of these.  Starting with the Didache, patristic literature has taught that both the person in need of healing and the person performing the healing must believe, pray, and fast.  

It seems that our current section of St. Matthew's Gospel continually reminds us of the power of faith and its necessity for us.  Perhaps this strong emphasis on faith -- although always a part of the gospel message -- is emphasized at this stage of Christ's ministry because we have now begun to get a dual message of both Christ's divinity as Son of the living God and also that He will be a suffering Messiah.   Both of these elements were affirmed in yesterday's reading (above) of the Transfiguration, as His identity as Son was revealed in the midst of a manifestation of the Holy Trinity.  Moreover, Matthew's Gospel does not specifically mention it, but in Luke's Gospel we're told that what He discussed with Moses and Elijah was His "exodus" (the literal word in the Greek), referring to His Passion, death, and Resurrection.  See Luke 9:28-36, in which the Greek word exodus/εξοδος is translated as "decease."   The combination of both Christ's divinity and His suffering as Messiah will mean that faith becomes paramount in building the Church, as Jesus indicated in His response to St. Peter's confession of faith, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).  Faith has been shown to be the engine that keys in Christ's power to heal in so many instances, and the lack of faith has also been given as the reason He "did not do many mighty works" in His hometown of Nazareth (Matthew 13:58).  Faith is the connector to Christ, the thing that enables Him to share His power with the disciples, and by extension with us.  In yesterday's reading, we were given the Transfiguration, which revealed to us the divinity of Christ, and elements of His Kingdom that may dwell within us and among us, such as the reality of the communion of saints.  But His Transfiguration also reveals to us His power and how it works in us and in our world, as through "touch" with Him the Cross would be transfigured into an instrument for salvation, for the "death of death" as the Orthodox Paschal hymn indicates, and a symbol of hope for a world in need of that salvation still today.  Faith is the key to repentance; without faith, where is the hope in repentance?  Moreover, faith is the key to righteousness, as St. Paul writes of Abraham (Romans 4).  And this justification by faith bring peace with God through Christ, as well as grace, which in turn enables "hope in the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).  Each of these things is both dependent upon and enabled through faith.  In these various examples, we see how faith is the key to so much in our lives.  One can imagine perseverance in faith placed in other, temporal things, such as angling for a good career, or saving to purchase something, or working for selfish goals as well.  But faith in Christ opens up an entirely different field of hope, energy, grace, and perseverance that is not dependent upon material outcomes -- and that is something one cannot replace with alternatives.  Let us seek to find the key of faith and what it unlocks for us, for there is so much more that we don't yet know.  

 

 

 

God, be merciful to me a sinner!

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke a parable to the disciples, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"   

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  My study Bible explains that the Pharisee is highly respected, as well as a careful observer of the details of the Law.  The tax collector, on the other hand, is despised as a sinner, who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, and betrays and cheats his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "  The practices of this Pharisee, in the view of my study Bible, are worthy examples to follow.  His good deeds -- fasting and giving tithes -- are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, such outward practices are worthless, and lead to pride and judgment of others.  Note also that Jesus says he prays with himself, for God is absent where there is boasting.

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  Through his posture, the tax collector expresses an awareness of the state of his soul, as he stands far from the altar of sacrifice and his eyes are cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer (which was mentioned in our commentary in yesterday's reading, in conjunction with the parable of the Persistent Widow).  This is also true of the refrain "Lord have mercy" which permeates Orthodox worship and personal prayer.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  To be justified means to be forgiven and set right with God.  My study Bible comments that inward humility is blessed, while pride in outward deeds is condemned.  Indeed, Christ saved His most scathing comments for the hypocrisy of the religious leaders (Matthew 23).

Today's reading teaches us a great deal about the importance of humility. Despite the Pharisee's own laudable spiritual practices, what he lacks is humility.  It is humility which is precisely the thing that saves the tax collector, despite his failings in his conduct and his poor standing among his own people.  Stark indeed is Christ's conclusion that it was the tax collector who went down to his house justified rather than the other. It is only his humility that allows the tax collector to see himself clearly, because his humility enables him to truly feel himself in the presence and the sight of God.  In this sense, it is his humility that has saved him, and lack of humility that has condemned the Pharisee.  Of course, what we are to take away from today's reading is just that -- the essential importance of humility to the Christian faith.  In the long spiritual history of the Church, it has been handed down to us that humility is the queen and gateway of the Christian virtues.  It is the foundation for the rest, the fruit of the Spirit:  "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (see Galatians 5:22-23).  How can we know what honesty is, unless we first are humble enough to recognize the truth about ourselves -- or even to hear and know that truth?  It is the humility of the tax collector, in contrast to the self-righteousness of the Pharisee, that enables him to truly pray, to be face-to-face with God, so to speak, in the temple.  At a very minimum, his bodily posture as described by Jesus shows us he's aware that he's in the presence of God, whereas the Pharisee is not.  John's Gospel gives us a clue to this failure, when John tells us that "even among the rulers many believed in [Jesus], but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42-43).  This Pharisee is conscious of his own social standing, and the opinions of others.  But the tax collector has an awareness of himself in the sight of God, as well as his community.  This parable enforces for us the particular summing up of the Law and the Prophets to which Christ and the Gospels (and even the Old Testament) constantly return, that the two greatest commandments in the Law are to love God with all one's heart and soul and mind and strength, and neighbor as oneself (see Luke 10:25-28).  In this case, despite appearances to the contrary, it is actually the tax collector who has put the love of God first, and not the Pharisee.  For here, the tax collector is aware of God and his own standing before God, while the Pharisee prays with himself, rather than God.   The tax collector here is, in fact, reconciled to God, and that is, in a sense, a face-to-face meeting, and it is what leads to what Jesus calls the state of being justified.  How do you reconcile with God?  How do we come face-to-face with God, settled with God, opened to God's way of seeing ourselves?  This is the mystery of faith and worship, but it begins with humility.  In today's story that comes from the recognition that we need God's mercy and love, for we can't truly live without it.

 

 

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read the testimony of John the Baptist, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.   

 

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  In today's reading, we're given one of Jesus' parables which sets the tone for Lent.  The lectionary skips over to Luke's Gospel (tomorrow we will continue in John's Gospel) to give us the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  My study Bible explains that in the context of Christ's audience and society, the Pharisee is highly respected as well as a careful observer of the details of the Law.  But the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"   My study Bible points out that the practices of this Pharisee are worthy example to follow; they are particularly important for us to think about during Lent with its traditional emphases for us.  These "good deeds" -- fasting and giving tithes -- my study Bible calls the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, it notes, these outward practices are worthless and lead only to pride and to judgment of others.  On Saturday, we read from Mark's Gospel a passage in which Jesus indicated a similar teaching on hypocrisy, in His comments warning of the practices of the scribes:  "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation" (Mark 12:38-40).  It is the "humble and repentant heart" that is a necessary component to make such practices effective, and the scribes worthy of the honor they're shown for their office.  In this context, we importantly observe that the text says this Pharisee prays with himself.  My study Bible comments that this is so because God is absent where there is boasting.  

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to haven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  My study Bible says that the tax collector shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul, standing far from the altar of sacrifice with eyes cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, and the refrain "Lord have mercy" that permeates the worship practices and personal prayer of so many branches of Christian faith.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study Bible indicates that to be justified here means forgiven and set right with God -- for, it says, inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned. 

If there is anything we should seek to cultivate in this period of Lent, it is the practice of deeper and more meaningful prayer.  It seems to be a good time to explore the practice of the Jesus Prayer, which gives opportunity for us always to think of ourselves as in the presence of God the Father, before Christ, and praying with the Spirit.  This article at the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese sets out the basic idea of the prayer and the practice.  This article at Wikipedia also does a fairly decent job of setting out the practice and its theological and historical roots.  But in terms of its basic practice, the form is quite simple.  As indicated by my study Bible, it follows this prayer of the tax collector given as an example by Jesus of one who prays well.  Its most basic form which is frequently given is, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."  But both shorter and longer versions also exist.   The simple, "Lord have mercy" is one such example.  In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, even the name of Jesus Christ is considered to be a prayer.  The important understanding about this prayer is that it is short, it is upheld by Scripture and rooted in Christian theology in that it declares Jesus as Lord, and it can be prayed at any and all times, in any circumstances.  Most importantly, this short repeated prayer is used as a powerful tool to help us to cultivate the mindfulness of prayer at all times.  That is, it is used to cultivate a prayerful orientation to all of life; it can be prayed while we do menial tasks, at any moment when we "remember God" (also an important practice in itself), in the middle of the day or the night.  Its repetition not only gives us a sense of what it means to live a prayerful life, with a prayerful mindset and orientation, it also allows us to experience what it is to let a prayer "sink down" into ourselves and root itself in the heart.  That is, this type of short prayer, repeated to ourselves either throughout the day when we recollect it, or in sessions of contemplative prayer alone and in quiet time to ourselves, roots itself in consciousness.  The practice itself is designed so that it becomes a part of our thinking, so to speak, a practice designed so that we are eventually praying "without ceasing" as St. Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  It is a good practice to decide to cultivate during Lent -- simple to do, simple to start, and need not be taxing to practice so much as it is simply a matter of decision to begin.  The benefits of this prayer practice can be felt right away for each person and in ways that edify and benefit whatever is going on in one's life, helping to reorient ourselves to God at any time, and drawing closer to Christ with the help of the Spirit.  It is rooted in Scripture and in today's teaching by Jesus found in the parable, and can aid and assist us in finding our way to better love God and cultivate the humility of knowing we are in God's presence at all times.  There is a kind of peace that often comes with this prayer.  It also helps us to let go of what we cannot control.  But each person has to find this for oneself in consenting to Christ's presence (Revelation 3:20).  Let us consider adopting the ways that deepen our faith, and help us to rest in and rely more strongly upon our Lord.

God, be merciful to me a sinner!

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9-14 

 

As we begin to enter into Lent, the lectionary gives us readings to consider and frame our Lenten journey, particularly in the context of the traditions of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting.  For the Oriental Orthodox, Lent began on Monday; today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for the western churches, Catholic and Protestant; for the Eastern Orthodox Lent will begin this Monday.  Yesterday we were given the story of Jesus on trial before Pilate:   Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning.  But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.  Pilate then went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"  They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."  Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law."  Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.  Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?"  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me.  What have You done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king them?"  Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"  And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all."

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  My study Bible explains that the Pharisee is highly respected and a careful observer of the details of the Law, whereas the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, and who betrays and cheats his own people.  

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"  The practices of this Pharisee are worthy examples to follow, my study Bible explains to us.  His good deeds (fasting and giving tithes) are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, these outwardly good practices are worthless and lead only to pride and judgment of others.  We are to note that he prays with himself, for God is absent where there is boasting.  

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  My study Bible asks us to observe the posture of the tax collector:  it shows an awareness of the state of his soul, as he stands far from the altar of sacrifice with eyes cast downward.  His prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, as is the refrain "Lord have mercy" which permeates worship and personal prayer.   

 

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  To be justified means to be forgiven and set right with God, for inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned.

My study Bible explains that to be justified essentially means to be forgiven and set right with God.  In pursuit of that end, we must know that inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned.  And that is why this particular parable of Jesus is the archetypal parable for Lent, because during Lent our pursuit of the practices of prayer, of almsgiving, and of fasting are particularly directed at "getting right with God," as the expression goes.  And these are the means whereby we pursue that goal, with Lent as the period particularly dedicated to that end.  This period leading up to Easter is the period dedicated to a preparation for the Lord's Resurrection as the One whom we expect to meet at His Second Coming.  It is a time to think about how we are prepared to meet our Lord, what it is that God praises and that God does not.  The emphasis, then, has always been on the cultivation of humility, on the awareness of our own flaws and things we need to restore or repair, the ways in which we need to grow.  But without humility, we can't possibly even know where we need to shape up our thinking and our lives, the errors we fall into, or the ways in which our Lord would not be pleased to meet us.  This parable given by Jesus is the prime example we have of how Jesus teaches us our attitudes should be.  We can all perhaps recognize in modern form what the Pharisee would look like.  Let us note that his whole focus is first of all on his own self-righteousness, leading to a focus on comparison to others.  This is entirely the wrong focus.  Lent is the time when we learn to focus more clearly on God.  We fast from all the things that distract that focus, we just give everything a rest for a while and we think about God, focusing in on prayer and the other practices that help us to remember God and to know what we are to be about.  We attempt to make more space for attention to God.  We don't focus in on our passions and desires and the million and one things the world seems to clamor for us to follow.  The interesting thing about today's parable (or, at any rate, what grabs my attention today) is that God, however, is comparing us!  At least in this case, Jesus (our Lord) is clearly pointing out that one person is praying "with himself" and that the other, however, is quite aware of his own flaws -- and he compares the two for us, and the one aware of his own mistakes comes up justified, and not the nominally "good" Pharisee.  The Jesus Prayer practice mentioned by my study Bible is a simple yet profound practice of short, repeated prayer, developed through the monastic tradition in Orthodoxy.  It is based, for the most part, on the refrain of the penitent tax collector, but also from other passages in the Bible, and particularly from St. Paul's admonition to "pray without ceasing."  In the earliest monastic practices of the desert monks, it was common to repeat a short prayer from the Psalms:  "Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O Lord!" (Psalm 70:1).  In this practice, the monastics were continually reminded of their spiritual struggle.  They would repeat it throughout the day, while doing their work or other activities.  Some used small pebbles to mark each recitation.  These short prayers were called "arrow prayers."  In the Eastern monastic tradition, the Jesus Prayer developed, a way to practice in various times and circumstances, including when alone, a short arrow prayer which is repeated and upon which one focuses.   This practice is also called the Prayer of the Heart, for the idea is that the repetition eventually becomes something which deepens itself within us, penetrating to the heart.  For those interested, I recommend this short, inexpensive book by Met. Kallistos Ware, or for a little more depth, this paperback authored in humility by one calling himself A Monk of the Eastern Church, but known to be Fr. Lev Gillet.   Another book teaching about this prayer tradition by Met. Kallistos is this one.  Please note that there are many Western advocates of this prayer who teach that it is meant to be accompanied by breathing exercises, but traditionally in the East this was never a part of the teaching, especially for lay people.  The true practice is simply to repeat the short prayer to oneself, and when you find your mind wandering (which will happen inevitably), just bring your focus back to the prayer.  In this prayer, even the very Name of Jesus is considered a prayer, and will work as an "arrow prayer."  Note that this is a prayer practice, not a meditation practice.  It is a way of "praying without ceasing," of calling upon Jesus and seeking His presence, both simple and profound, as our prayer deepens within us.

 

 

 

God, be merciful to me a sinner!

 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.   I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'   I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

- Luke 18:9–14 

 

Yesterday we read the testimony of John the Baptist, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  The Pharisee, my study bible comments, is a highly respected and careful observer of the details of the Law.  By contrast, the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people.  Often, as a matter of course, the Jewish tax collectors, by virtue of their positions enforced by the Roman state, would claim extra revenues for themselves, thus extorting fellow Jews.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.   I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'" My study bible characterizes these practices of the Pharisee as all worthy examples to follow.  It says that his good deeds that he names here (fasting and giving tithes) are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But we're meant to understand that without a humble and repentant heart (a proper Lenten orientation), these outward practices are worthless.  Instead, they lead only to pride and judgment of others.  We note that the text tells us he prays with himself.  My study bible explains that "God is absent where there is boasting."

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "  The tax collector, by contrast to the boasting Pharisee, shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul.  He stands far from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast downward.  The prayer of the tax collector, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, as is the refrain "Lord have mercy" that permeates worship and personal prayer.  

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study bible explains that justified means forgiven and set right with God.  Inward humility is blessed, while pride in outward deeds is condemned.  

"God, be merciful to me a sinner!" is indeed the basis for many prayers, including that of the Jesus Prayer practice, which is also called Prayer of the Heart.  The Jesus Prayer has taken on many forms throughout the centuries of Christianity, but is based on a repetition of the phrase "Lord have mercy" or Kyrie Eleison in the Greek.  Its present form is formally "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."   But one need not use that formal form to perform the Jesus Prayer practice.  Here and here are two webpages on the practice of the Jesus Prayer, and there are many others.  But, put most simply, in an effort to follow the admonition of St. Paul to "'pray without ceasing" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), the earliest monastics began using a prayer rule, in which they would repeat a very short prayer all the day long, such as while doing manual work.  This took on various forms, such as the first verse from Psalm 70, "Make haste, O God, to deliver me!  Make haste to help me, O Lord!"  In this context, we must recall that the earliest Christian monastics went out into the wilderness and deserts to follow Christ in His forty-day fast, struggling against their own temptations and tests.  Over the centuries of Christian tradition, this practice has evolved into what is now called the Jesus Prayer.  Put most simply, it is a focus on a simple prayer, repeated for a period of time, in which the mind continues to refocus on this prayer.  It is distinguished from other contemplative practices in that it is truly a prayer practice, with intention as prayer.  If we wish to begin a good Lenten practice, we would all do well to start there, as good discipline and focus for any follower of Jesus Christ.  Be let us turn back to the parable as given by Jesus, in which we are made to understand that it is the humility of the tax collector that saves and "justifies " him, over and above the virtuous Pharisee.   In order to fully appreciate this parable, we must first of all understand that Jesus preached the same point repeatedly about humility.  It is an essential lesson for those who would follow Christ.  Moreover, in the context of Christ's time, humility was not a valued virtue of what it meant to be "great," as Jesus Himself pointed out when He told the disciples, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them . . . Yet it shall not be so among you . . . " (Mark 10:42-43, Luke 22:25-26, Matthew 20:25-26).  But it is a keystone of what it means to be a follower of Christ, and it remains our primary focus for understanding who we are.  This humility is not a groveling sort of understanding within a power hierarchy.  Rather, it is an accurate assessment of what is best for us, and especially our own place before God.  We accept that we are meant to grow, that we don't know everything about ourselves, but that we are dependent upon our relationship of communion with Christ to show us the way in our lives.  In this sense, Christ's parable given in today's reading is meant to be instructive in that it teaches us our proper orientation in life, as contrasted to the Pharisee who seems to be measuring himself by himself, oblivious to the pathway a deeper communion with God might bring.  The Pharisee remains instructive to all of us  particularly in a modern culture where social media plays such a great role.  We have all heard the term "virtue signalling," and that is clearly something this Pharisee does well.  He flatters himself with the picture of himself, and by contrasting himself to the odious tax collector.  Our lesson in humility starts with the idea that a communion with God means we will always be led somewhere beyond what we know, and we need a deep mystical participation in prayer and humility as an ongoing spiritual awareness.  Lent is the right time to remember what we are meant to be about, to find that depth in which we come before God in humility to seek the light we don't yet know, and allow Christ to illumine the darkness of which we are not aware.  We can point to all the good deeds and legalism of rule-following we want to, but that doesn't bring us closer to God in the heart.  For that, we need a different kind of orientation, which is the true heart of repentance or "change of mind" as the Greek word metanoia/μετανοια literally means.  Let us take time to cultivate that inner depth of prayer, retreating from the appearance-focused mantras of today's social rules and paradigms as cultivated by so much of what passes for community in our current phase of modern culture.  Let us focus on the heart where God takes us and Jesus calls, the place of truth and reckoning before God, where we all know we are on a road to somewhere -- and ask for God's help to find His way for us.

 

 

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

Teaching fresco of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector; reproduced as a Lenten Greeting

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

- Luke 18:9-14

Yesterday we read that, after His trial by night at the home of the High Priest, the religious leaders led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning.  But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.  Pilate then went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"  They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."  Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law."  Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death," that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.  Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?"  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew?  Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me.  What have You done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?"  Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king.  For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."  Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"  And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all."

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  My study bible explains to us that the Pharisee is a highly respected and careful observer of the details of the Law, whereas the tax collector is despised as a sinner who collaborates with the occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating his own people.  We should not be confused as to the places of these two characters in the story in the eyes of the people and the society.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "  My study bible tells us that the practices of this Pharisee are worthy examples to follow.  His good deeds (such as fasting and giving tithes), it says, are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  Therefore, that makes this particular parable highly relevant to this time as we enter into Lent.  Without a humble and repentant heart, my study bible says, these outward practices are worthless, and as we can see from Jesus' parable, they lead to pride and judgment of others.  It is of great importance to note that Jesus tells us the Pharisee prays with himself.  My study bible says that "God is absent where there is boasting."

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "  My study bible says that the tax collector shows by his posture an awareness of the state of his soul.  He stands afar off from the altar of sacrifice, and his eyes are cast down, showing his deep awareness that he stands before God as he prays.  This prayer, God, be merciful to me a sinner, is the foundation of the Jesus Prayer practice (see this article and this one for more information).   The refrain "Lord have mercy" permeates all liturgical and personal prayer.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  To be justified, my study bible explains, means to be forgiven and set right with God -- as inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned (see Matthew 6:1).

Twice elsewhere in the Gospels Jesus repeats this same statement, that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (see also Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11).  But the sense of this statement appears many, many times throughout the bible (see, for more examples, this link).  My study bible makes note of the fact that Jesus tells us this Pharisee prays with himself.  In other words, for him there is one judge, and that is himself.  This is the very definition of self-righteousness, a justification within ourselves, and without a consciousness of standing before God.  By contrast, the tax collector is repentant, hanging his head, quite aware that he prays not with himself but with God.  He enters into a dialogue as he prays, and not a one-way street.  We can see the contrast between the two men exemplified quite often in the ways that people approach others whom they feel they have offended.  A childish person will immediately begin with justification according to their own feelings and ideas, and use that as a substitute for a proper apology.  This is akin to self-justification, and, even if they do have a good reason for their offensive behavior, it still lacks an awareness of the person they are addressing.  That is the difference between dialogue and speaking "with oneself."    To be truly humble is not a matter of necessarily humiliating oneself to others in some servile sense, but rather to be aware that we are always -- in a very real sense -- in the presence of God.  There is nothing about us that is hidden from Christ, who knows us better than we know ourselves.  Each, we're told, has a guardian angel, a being of an intelligence vastly superior to our own.  If this isn't enough to keep us humble, let us consider the "perfection" of this Pharisee.  He is, indeed, meant to be a model for all others in the society, and he truly does do the good deeds he says he does.  By contrast, the tax collector falls far short of any social ideal of good behavior.  In fact, tax collectors were despised by the rest of their communities, not only because they collaborated with the occupying Romans to collect taxes from their fellow Jews, but because that frequently included extortion (with the aid of the might of the Roman state) for their own personal graft.  They were seen as sinful traitors who preyed on their own community.  Let us not forget that Jesus does not diminish any of that in this parable.  Rather, He uses these two figures to make a point:  that "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."   The tax collector is aware and humble before God, and the Pharisee is seemingly unaware that no matter what his "good deeds," God always has a way for us to come closer to God, something more in our journey of faith that we're unaware of.  It is, in fact, the Pharisee who is in this sense blind to himself, and the tax collector who sees himself.  Therefore let us consider, as we enter into this time where we make more time with God, what it really means to pray.  To pray is to enter into dialogue with God.  It's not before others that we need to compare ourselves and see how we measure up.   The Gospels have a choice phrase that sums up that mistake as well.  John tells us about the leaders who believed in Christ, but who would not say so openly:  "for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (see John 12:43).  It doesn't matter where we are on our own spiritual journey; there is always a way God calls us to come forward, to become more aware of ourselves, to make the changes God calls us to make.  It equally applies to both the Pharisee and the tax collector.  This is a walk forward, not a status quo standstill when we reach a certain place in our faith, for such is the nature of we creatures, human beings, who live in time and are meant to be challenged and expanded, like the new wine which needs new wineskins (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37-39).  For that true journey of faith, and our walk with Christ, we need humility, the greatest of the virtues and gateway to all the rest, if we pay attention to the whole of Christian tradition.  Let us remember this time upon which we enter, and its purpose.  In keeping with the spirit of Lent, I post above what is no doubt meant to be a greeting.  It is a reproduction of a teaching fresco depicting the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  In the corner above we see an angel weeping at the Pharisee's mistake, with a giant fish about to swallow him up in his spiritual error.  Over the door of the temple, into which the tax collector enters, is the phrase from Hosea 6:6, which Jesus quotes back to the Pharisees in Matthew 9:13, 12:7:  "I desire mercy and not sacrifice."  (Interestingly, in Matthew 9:13, Jesus has just made Matthew the tax collector his disciple, and Jesus is responding to the  Pharisees' criticism that He dines with him and other sinners.)   The tax collector enters in with his sinful means of gain clearly evident:  he wears a sword and carries his money bag.  And yet it is he who will leave justified.  In Greek, the phrase superimposed above is a greeting that reads, "Good Triodion," which is the three-week period in the Eastern Orthodox Churches that is the entryway into Lent.  Below the greetings read "Good  Repentance and Good Struggle" -- both a true depiction of our spiritual process during Lent.  Yes, these are meant to be joyful greetings, and so we enter into the joy of our Lord as we enter this period of Lent.

Receive your sight; your faith has made you well

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

- Luke 18:31-43

On Saturday we read that Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was mute.  So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.  But some of them said, "He casts out by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  If Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.  But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.  Today the lectionary skips ahead from chapter 11 (Saturday's reading, above) to chapter 18.   An this point in the Gospel, this is Christ's third warning to the disciples about what is to come at Jerusalem.  But, we note, still they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.   My study bible says that the saying was hidden not by God, but rather because the disciples couldn't understand His meaning until the actual events of the Passion had taken place.

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.  Son of David is a Messianic title, and this blind man is therefore recognizing Jesus as the Christ with his plea, have mercy on me!   My study bible says that even though Jesus knows what we want before we ask, He calls us to ask freely so that we might learn of His mercy (What do you want Me to do for you?).  But in this context we see (and the blind man hears) the crowds who go before, who warned him that he should be quiet.  But that does not stop blind man; instead he cried out all the more.  Have mercy on me! is the refrain of the Church, both in prayer services and in private prayers everywhere in the world.  In a spiritual interpretation of this healing, patristic tradition sees in this an image of the persecuted Church to come which struggles against those who would silence her, but who nevertheless all the more confesses Christ.    The blind man represents those of the future who come to Christ not by seeing but by hearing (see John 20:29).

The story of the blind man seems quite strikingly to be a teaching about prayer.  Have mercy on me! is a plea of frequent prayer.  In this context, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! is equivalent to the oft-heard prayer of the Church in all contexts, "Lord have mercy."   This is the basis of what is called the Jesus Prayer, or Prayer of the Heart, developed through monasticism as a formula for constant prayer.  It is called Prayer of the Heart as its constant repetition is meant to fulfill St. Paul's admonition to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and thereby sinks more deeply into consciousness, into the heart, the center of all that we are.  In the language of the tradition of the Church, the heart is the seat of the soul, our center of being.  Lord have mercy, then, becomes a plea for all that ails and needs healing, everything that needs to be set right, with ourselves, for others, for the world, for the cosmos of all that is created by God.  "Lord," of course is another title for God, and also for the Messiah.  Note that in today's passage, Jesus approaches Jericho.  Jericho, as we've noted in other readings and commentary, is a town that symbolized sin, the state of the world (see, for example, Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan).  In the case of today's reading, the man's blindness can be a symbol for sin.  We do things a certain way, we live a certain way, but we don't really see fully; there are ways of life we're blind to, the things of God we have not accepted, and therefore the healing we can't fully grasp and live.  Keep in mind, in this context, that sin can happen out of ignorance and that the word for sin in the Greek of the Gospels simply means "missing the mark."  There may be all kinds of ways in which we sin but are unaware, for which our enlightenment is necessary to correct, ways in which we could be living our lives closer to the mark of the image Christ holds for us as fully "healed" and living in holiness.  But this blind man knows that he is blind, unlike so many of us as we walk through life.  And his plea for Christ to have mercy is a plea for healing.  The most salient point in this context, then, is perhaps Jesus' particular remark after the blind man's healing, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  In many stories of healing in the Gospels, Christ also attributes a person's healing to their faith (such as the healing of the woman with the blood flow).  But here, to receive his sight is particularly meaningful in the context of repeated and persistent prayer.  In chapter 11, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray (see this reading).  In response, He taught them the Lords's Prayer, or what is known as the Our Father.  After giving the prayer, Jesus taught, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will be give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  In other words, the persistent prayer of faith is that which will be rewarded with illumination, deeper understanding, light -- all metaphors for sight in the ancient world.   Through persistent prayer, our faith can make us well and bring us healing through the gifts of God, and in particular the Holy Spirit.  This message is especially important for us in this week of Pentecost (yesterday in the West and this Sunday in the East).  What is illumination to you?  What is enlightenment, true sight, greater understanding?  What does that have to do with healing?  With making us well?  These are the questions we should really be pondering.  With the gift of the Holy Spirit, it is clear that growth in our faith and understanding, communion and participation in the life God and the Kingdom, is the most significant way to know that we become healed, that God works through us.   To be made well, in this context, is a matter of persistence in prayer and faith, and the desire for what it is God offers.   Let us note that Jesus invites the blind man into dialogue by asking him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  But God's healing may not always take on the form we desire or expect; to heal our blindness is one thing, but to respond to the demands of blindness is another.  St. Paul famously tells us that he prayed several times for healing -- from what exactly we don't know.  He writes, "Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).  When we are blind, we ask to see -- in faith; and it is the faith, we're told, that makes us well.  Let us consider the perfection of St. Paul, and its paradoxical place within his weakness, for this is the perfection and mercy of God, for which we need true sight to know that it is also our healing.

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

- Luke 18:31-43

Yesterday we read that infants were brought to Jesus that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."   So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.  Jesus gives yet another explicit warning to the disciples about what is to happen at Jerusalem.  As we can read, this is an explicit and detailed account of what is to come, but the disciples understood none of these things.  My study bible says that this saying was hidden not by God, but because the disciples could not comprehend its meaning until the events of the Passion had taken place.

 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  The fact that Jesus was coming near Jericho is confirmation that His approach to Jerusalem is truly near.  Jericho was a place commonly associated with sin, as for example, in the story of the Good Samaritan (see this reading).  Blindness is commonly associated with sin, as a kind of illustration of how sin keeps us from fullness of sight or perception.  Son of David is a title deeply associated with the Messiah.  Have mercy on me! is an important refrain here in Luke's Gospel.  It parallels the prayer of the tax collector in the parable Jesus has recently given (see Saturday's reading).

Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  My study bible comments that although Jesus knows what we want before we ask, He calls us to ask freely so that we might learn of His mercy.  This question also forces the one making the request to directly dialogue with Christ Himself, and to consider the question -- and the One of whom we ask -- seriously.

He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.  There is a spiritual interpretation also traditionally made of this miracle.  The blind man (in the case of Matthew's Gospel, this story is told of two blind men) symbolizes future generations who will come to faith solely through hearing, without the benefit of seeing Christ in person (see John 20:29).   Those who tried to silence the one crying out to Christ are persecutors and tyrants who, in every generation, try to silence the Church.  But nevertheless, under persecution, my study bible adds, the Church all the more confesses Christ.  It is also worth noting the gratitude, in this notorious place of sin.  The text tells us that all the people gave praise to God.

Let us consider this prayer that the blind man repeats:  "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Much has been written and considered throughout the history of the Church about this phrase, "Have mercy on me."  In Matthew's version of this story, the two blind men shout, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Lord is the title appropriate to the God of the Old Testament.  Therefore the refrain so often heard in Christian worship throughout the centuries comes to us:  Lord have mercy or Κύριε ἐλέησον/kyrie eleison in the original Greek of the New Testament.  As a prayer, this phrase is found everywhere.  It is truly a universal plea for all of us and for any of us, at any time.  It suits all circumstances and situations.  Whether we are praying for ourselves or others, for circumstances beyond our reach or control, or situations we need help with, this prayer always fits.  In varied languages and traditions, this simple prayer, Lord have mercy, is used as repetitive plea for deepening and strengthening our communion with Christ.  It is used in the Jesus Prayer practice, also called Prayer of the Heart, as a way of internalizing a depth of prayer, and for fulfilling St. Paul's injunction to pray without ceasing.  This simple prayer has for us all the benefits touted by modern popular psychology (and medicine, for that matter) of meditation.  But it has an added advantage above and beyond the power of meditation:  it is also prayer.  It is not simply a mantra or repeated phrase for concentration.  In it, we call upon the Lord for God's grace and help -- and it applies for all things and in all ways.  It is an active way of taking time in our lives, in any moment -- while we are commuting, washing dishes, waiting for an appointment, through all things -- interjecting prayer into our lives and asking for Christ to be present with us and for whomever else we may be praying.  It is a way of understanding that Christ is present at all times, invoking God's grace at work in the world wherever we are or wherever our thoughts may be directed.  It opens a window and reminds us that this Kingdom intersects our lives and our world; it has no limitation of time or space, and we can pray anywhere.  In John's Gospel, Jesus teaches that "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).  There is no better way to pray with such an understanding than the practice of this short prayer, repeated any time and any place.  One may read about the history of the Jesus Prayer and its practice, but it is important -- even essential -- to understand that it is based on this prayer, this short plea.  It need not be more fancy or specific, but it can also be embroidered and made more distinct if such prayer works better for us.  Let us remember the insistence of this blind man, especially when there are times in our lives when we can't see, for which we need God's help -- which is true, at least in some great spiritual sense, at all times.  Like the people of Jericho, let us also remember to give praise to God.