Gospel in Art: Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation

Body of Christ, by Danny Hahlbohm, 2014 © Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 23 April 2022

Mark 16:9-15

Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.

After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.

Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.'

Reflection on the painting

Today's Gospel reading is Mark's post resurrection account. We hear how the disciples refused to believe in the resurrection of Christ on numerous occasions. They believed only when they saw Jesus for themselves. Two thousand years later, we have no option but to believe in the resurrection of Christ, based on the Gospel accounts, tradition and the witness of others. Even though we haven't seen Jesus with our own eyes, we nevertheless experience his presence on a daily basis in a multitude of ways: the Eucharist, through the sacraments… and in and through each other, as we are all members of his body.

Our painting by Danny Hahlbohm depicts the body of Christ in a very visual way. It illustrates how the body of Christ works, as each person has a very special gift to bring to the Church. We all work in our separate ways towards a common good. Danny was a USA army soldier, and after he left the army in 1972, he took up painting. Entirely self-taught, he paints in a highly detailed manner, mainly depicting Christian subjects.

The Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians puts most clearly what it means to be part of the Body of Christ: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body - Jew or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of the one Spirit … Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27).

LINK

Christian Art: www.christian.art

Today's picture: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-16-9-15-2022/