Gospel in Art: The bailiff may have you thrown into prison

The Tichborn Trial, by Frederick Sargent. Painted 1873 - 1899 © Hampshire County Council Museums Service, Winchester

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 21 October 2022
Luke 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds: 'When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

'Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.'

Reflection on the painting

Towards the end of our Gospel reading, Jesus is telling how things can get out of hand at a trial before a judge, so it is best to settle with your opponent before it even gets to a trial. Things can indeed get out of hand if problems are not dealt with. A cold left unattended can lead to a serious chest infection. A lack of oil in a car engine may lead to an accident. A small hole in a roof may cause serious water damage. So it goes for issues in marriage, in our work environment, in our communities or parishes. Unless problems are dealt with they will fester and lead to greater difficulties.

But it isn't always easy to tackle problems head on. The main thing is to try to look beyond the other person's feelings and keep the greater good at the forefront of our minds. So humility is required in any argument.

Our painting by Frederick Sargent depicts a scene from the Tichborne criminal trial. In 1854, Roger Tichborne, heir to a title and family riches, was presumed to have died in a shipwreck. The following year, an Australian butcher came forward with the claim that he was that heir, a claim that was tested in a civil court case, heard between 1871 and 1872. The verdict rejected the claim, and the Australian butcher then underwent criminal prosecution for perjury in one of the longest criminal cases heard in an English court, during 188 days between 1872 and 1873. Sargent's scene depicts the accused sitting just below the centre and looking straight ahead of him. Standing to the right of him is his barrister, Edward Kenealy, with 'mutton chop' whiskers. The butcher was convicted, sentenced to fourteen years in prison and eventually died destitute in 1898. It is a sad case of how things when they get to trial can go hopelessly wrong for the individuals involved. Jesus prompts us to mend our ways and seek reconciliation well before things get out of hand and lead to a trial.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/

Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-12-54-59-2022/