Today's Gospel in Art - He who openly declares himself for me

The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer, by Jean-Léon Gérôme. © Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

Gospel of 19th October 2019 - Luke 12: 8-12

Jesus said to his disciples:

'I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God's angels.

'Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

'When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.'

Reflection on the Painting

In our striking painting of today by Jean-Léon Gérôme, we see a group of Christian prisoners who are saying their last prayers before they will be devoured by the wild beasts emerging from the lower ground trap doors. The are surrounded by other Christian martyrs, hanging on crucifixes, covered in tar and several set on fire. This is a very vivid depiction of the persecution of early Christians. The setting is a combination of the Circus Maximus (the scale of our setting, the race tracks, the goals posts…) and the interior stands of the Coliseum (based on the layout of the surviving ruins of the Coliseum), in which gladiatorial combats and other spectacles were held. Similarly, the hill in the background surmounted by a colossal statue and a temple is nearer in appearance to the Athenian Acropolis than it is to Rome's Palatine Hill. So this painting is a juxtaposition of various classical sites. Gerôme gave up historical accuracy to create this very dramatic image… To read on see: www.christianart.today/daily-gospel-reading/208