What happens when prayer doesn’t comfort but challenges? In this episode, Käthe Kollwitz’s Drawing for People and the parable of Lazarus confront us with the reality of suffering and the call to see, listen, and act. Join Rev. Rob McPherson in a time of reflection that may change the way you look at both art and your calling.

Luke 16:19-21

Use this guide for prayer and contemplation. Read slowly, pausing as needed for silence and reflection.

Opening

Settle your body. Let your shoulders soften, your jaw unclench, your hands rest.

Take a slow breath in. And a slower breath out.

Holy One, meet us here. Quiet what is restless in us, and make us ready to listen.

Reflection on Contemplative Prayer

Today, let us allow prayer to challenge us rather than comfort us. As you gaze upon the artwork, you may notice a part of you that wants to turn away. If that happens, do not force yourself—simply begin again, gently, and stay present. Käthe Kollwitz’s work refuses to hide the harsh reality of poverty, pain, and the suffering that war heaps upon ordinary lives.

Stay here a moment.

Contemplative prayer is, at least in part, listening to God. Sometimes what God says soothes the soul. Sometimes God’s word disrupts us—calling us out of routine, and into compassion.

Scripture

Luke 16:19–21 (The Inclusive Bible)

Once there was a rich person who dressed in purple and linen and feasted splendidly every day. At the gate of this person’s estate lay a beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the scraps that fell from the rich person’s table, and even the dogs came and licked Lazarus’ sores.

Spirit of God, breathe beneath these words. As we hold this scene in our hearts, teach us to notice suffering, and to respond with empathy and compassion.

Artwork for Prayerful Reflection

Drawing for People — Käthe Kollwitz

As you look, let this image draw you closer to the people it holds. It may not offer the beautiful moments of life; instead, it asks you to see what is hard to see, and to hear what is hard to hear.

Kollwitz wrote: “It is my duty to voice the sufferings of humankind, the never ending sufferings heaped mountain high. This is my task, but it is not an easy one to fulfill.”

Reflection Questions

As you consider the scene from Luke, what stirs in you as you picture the rich person and Lazarus at the gate?

What emotions rise up in you as you hear of sores, scraps, and the dogs that come near?

As you look at the artwork, what atmosphere or weight do you sense in it?

Where does your eye go first, and what does it seem to want you to notice?

As your gaze lingers on the faces, what do they communicate to you without words?

If you were to give each face a name or a simple word, what names arise in you, and why?

Who in your life, or in our world, is God inviting you to truly see right now?

As you look beyond the artwork to the people and situations you have named, what do you notice in your own reactions—resistance, tenderness, grief, urgency?

As you listen beneath the words and between the lines, what do you sense God speaking to you—however quietly?

If God is calling you to be an advocate for those you have named, what might that advocacy look like in your real, ordinary life?

What is one specific first step you feel invited to take, and what time or setting might help you begin?

Closing

God of compassion, keep our eyes open and our hearts awake. Give us courage to see our neighbors, to hear their cries, and to take one faithful step toward love made visible in the world. Amen.