Today's Gospel in Art - He appointed twelve to be his companions

Martyrdom of the Apostles, by Stefan Lochner 1435 © Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Gospel of 22nd January 2021 - Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or 'Sons of Thunder'; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.

Reflection on the Painted Panels

Stefan Lochner, the painter of our two panels, was one of Cologne's most important 15th-century artists. Our panels depict the martyrdom of the Twelve Apostles. The left panel shows Saints Peter, Paul, Andrew, John the Evangelist, James the Greater and Bartholomew; the right panel shows the martyrdoms of Saints Thomas, Phillip, James the Less, Matthew, Simon, Jude and Matthias (Matthias having replaced Judas). All the scenes carry very realistic detail and don't shy away from the gruesome deaths that the Apostles endured. The artist thus stresses the sacrifice the Apostles made for each of us….

Jesus knew when He chose the Twelve, as per our reading today, that these Twelve would ultimately give their everything to help spread the Good News, even their own lives. By choosing the Twelve Apostles, He was already preparing for the time after His death. The Twelve would serve as the core of the future church. By witnessing to Jesus' saving acts in the world, they would ultimately continue Jesus' mission after His death.

Each Apostle would need to have boldness, courage, love and fire to spread Christ's message to the world. They were martyred in the end, and their very martyrdom guaranteed the spreading of the Good News, for 'the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church'… - Tertullian.

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/678
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php