Today's Gospel in Art - Why do your disciples not fast?

Fasting in the Wilderness, by Rose Datoc Dall 2012 © Rose Datoc Dall Artist

Gospel of 18th January 2021 - Mark 2:18-22

One day when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, 'Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?' Jesus replied, 'Surely the bridegroom's attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!'

Reflection on the Painting

From the questions people were asking in today's reading, we can see how they misunderstood what fasting is. They considered fasting to be an end in itself. But fasting is a means, not an end.

When we fast, we feel bad when we break the fast. As with any other practices in our faith, we should see fasting as a means to bring us closer to Christ. Jesus is telling us today that fasting is good, but ultimately getting to know Jesus is the main point of all our practices. He reminds us that every practice within our faith should be there to enable and help us to know, trust and love Christ even more.

Our painting by Filipina-American Artist Rose Datoc Dall, depicts Jesus fasting in the wilderness. He is seen cloaked with a Hebrew prayer shawl, a tallit. Tallit literally means a 'little tent' or closet in which one can close oneself off from the world in order to pray and spend time with God. Some small snakes are crawling around Jesus, wanting to distract Him and break his fast. Jesus knew that fasting was not enough. Fasting combined with prayer however is mighty powerful.

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/674
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php