Tower of Siloam
Tissot, James, 1836-1902. Tower of Siloam, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55003 [retrieved March 16, 2022]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Tower_of_Siloam_(Le_tour_de_Silo%C3%AB)_-_James_Tissot.jpg.
The Gardener and the Fig Tree
The Gardener and the Fig Tree, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54307 [retrieved March 16, 2022]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/feargal/3923006489/.
We raise our eyes in prayer
through the bars, darkly.
Together with a thousand prisoners in their cells
and with many more thousands in the larger
prison of our country.
We pray for freedom
and even more urgently, for life.
As nameless executioners savage
those whom they used to merely torture and detain
and both children and parents
slowly but surely die
of sickness that has many names
and only one name.
We ask for faith
to see that death and prison are not forever
that life and freedom will prevail.
We ask for faith to celebrate even while we mourn
knowing that death and prison
are already signs of a people’s struggle
for freedom and life.
We raise our voices in prayer through the bars, boldly
believing there will be an answer
as our people awaken.
Amen.
Edicio de la Torre, in The Bible Through Asian Eyes
through the bars, darkly.
Together with a thousand prisoners in their cells
and with many more thousands in the larger
prison of our country.
We pray for freedom
and even more urgently, for life.
As nameless executioners savage
those whom they used to merely torture and detain
and both children and parents
slowly but surely die
of sickness that has many names
and only one name.
We ask for faith
to see that death and prison are not forever
that life and freedom will prevail.
We ask for faith to celebrate even while we mourn
knowing that death and prison
are already signs of a people’s struggle
for freedom and life.
We raise our voices in prayer through the bars, boldly
believing there will be an answer
as our people awaken.
Amen.
Edicio de la Torre, in The Bible Through Asian Eyes
Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 1