Gospel in Art: There are many rooms in my Father's house

The East Window, Conceived by Shirazeh Houshiary, Unveiled in 2008, © Church of St Martin in the Fields, London

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 5 May 2023
John 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:

'Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father's house;

if there were not, I should have told you.

I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too. You know the way to the place where I am going.'

Thomas said, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus said: 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'

Reflection on the church glass window

This window in the Church of St Martin in the Fields (Trafalgar Square, London) is fascinating. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is reminiscent of a cross, with the horizontal and vertical lines coming together in a central opening that allows rays of light to pass uninterruptedly through its clear glass. The monochromatic window produces different light at different times of the day. The absence of colour makes the presence of nature's natural, unaltered light even stronger. The project was commissioned to replace a window that had been shattered by bombs during the Second World War. Designed by Shirazeh Houshiary, and unveiled in 2008, the window has converted the once dark, shattered corner of the church into a light, bright space.

Shirazeh Houshiary is an Iranian-born English artist. She lives and works in London and was nominated for the 1994 Turner Prize. Her practice has swelled to encompass painting, installation, architectural projects and film. She fuses various cultures together in her work, including Islamic architectural elements, Persian calligraphy and Western minimalist art.

This window is beautiful in its simplicity. Today's Gospel message is gripping in its simplicity too. The night before Jesus is to be executed in horrific circumstances, he is comforting and consoling his friends with this simple message: 'Do not let your hearts be troubled!' To the very end, Christ continues to teach us and love us. This is further emphasised when he says that 'there are many rooms in my Father's house,' giving us this feeling that we are all part of one spiritual family with a shared home. Our humanity and spirituality unite us. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) described their dynamics as follows:

"We are spiritual beings having a human experience,

not human beings having a spiritual experience."

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-14-1-6-2023/