Praying with Luke

Rev Deborah Garrett preaches about prayer using Luke 18: 9-14. She writes, ""Prayer is a prominent theme in Luke’s Gospel. Today’s Gospel lesson is about two men who go to the temple to pray. It is easy to work out who is the good guy and who is the bad guy in the story. Immediately the Pharisee is described as “standing by himself” as he prays, suggesting an aloofness from his unclean companion. In his prayer he talks about himself, asking God to confirm that he is not like other people. In contrast the tax collector puts himself in a posture of contrition and remorse. He stands at a distance and cannot bring himself to look up towards heaven. He pounds his chest in anguish. Unlike the Pharisee he is aware of the gap that exists between himself and God, and he throws himself at the mercy of God. There are three models of people who pray in this chapter from Luke’s Gospel. There is the widow who hounds the unjust judge until she gets justice. Then there is the Pharisee who goes on about his virtuous ways and looks down on those who don’t measure up to his standards, and finally, there is the tax collector who recognises his failings and asks God for mercy. Where does this reading leave us?".