Gospel in Art: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

On Corpus Christi Morning, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller © Belvedere, Vienna. 1857. On loan from The Society of Friends of the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 2 June 2024
Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, 'Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?' So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, "The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?" He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.' The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.

And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. 'Take it,' he said 'this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, 'This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.'

After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.

Reflection on the painting

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller is considered one of the most influential painters of the Biedermeier style in 19th-century Vienna. Our painting titled On Corpus Christi Morning, depicts children of contrasting social classes. At the centre of our painting we see rich girls dressed in bright white dresses with circlets of flowers on their heads. They are being greeted by an old peasant woman. The children smile at her, while ignoring the other poorer children in the foreground. A poor girl on the left turns away from them, wiping a tear from her eye, visibly upset because she isn't part of the group of immaculately dressed girls. A rich boy seems to taunt a poor girl who offers him flowers. While this painting at first glance is very appealing to the eye, it is does leave the viewer with a slightly uncomfortable feeling, realising the social ambiguity which is at play here.

The most striking feature in this painting is the use of light. The sunlight is coming from the top right corner, illuminating the backs of the figures and casting long shadows. It is exquisitely painted. The children are all preparing joyfully for the Corpus Christi procession. Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, also called Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, in honour of the real presence of the body (corpus) of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The feast of Corpus Christi was proposed by Thomas Aquinas to Pope Urban IV, in order to create a feast focused solely for the Holy Eucharist, emphasising the joy of the Eucharist being the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Processions started soon after, where the Blessed Sacrament was carried through towns and villages. Our painting shows the children preparing for such a procession.

Wishing everyone a blessed and joyful Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-14-12-16-22-26-2024/

and Art and Christianity on Songs of Praise: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/49830