Gospel in Art: They are no longer two, but one body

The Wedding of Stephen Beckingham and Mary Cox, by William Hogarth, 1729 © Metropolitan Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 16 August 2024
Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, 'Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?' He answered, 'Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.'

They said to him, 'Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?' 'It was because you were so unteachable' he said 'that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife - I am not speaking of fornication - and marries another, is guilty of adultery.'

The disciples said to him, 'If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry.' But he replied, 'It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother's womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.'

Reflection on the painting

The opening verses of today's Gospel reading are often selected for wedding Masses as they beautifully capture Jesus' vision for married life, which traces back to the second chapter of Genesis, the first book in the Jewish Scriptures and the Christian Old Testament. According to this vision, a man and woman become one body in marriage, with 'body' understood as the physical expression of the entire person. This ideal of two individual lives merging into one shared life resonates with couples who seek to marry in the church, making this Gospel reading particularly meaningful to them.

We are all aware that sadly some marriages do not last for life. Many relationships break down, with people going their separate ways. That is a reality. The gospels show that Jesus knew how to accept the reality of people's lives and meet people there, and then speak to them from within their day-to-day reality.

Jesus also acknowledges in the concluding part of the reading that not everyone is called to marriage; indeed, Jesus himself was not married. Whether married or single, each of us is called to bring the Lord's love into the world, fostering love and building community in our unique ways.

Our painting from 1729 by William Hogarth depicts the wedding of Stephen Beckingham, a London lawyer, and his bride, Mary Cox. They are flanked by members of their families. The setting is based on St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a church in Trafalgar Square. This was not, however, the venue where the wedding took place: Hogarth favoured depicting the wedding scene in a different architectural style, one more in line with his own taste.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-19-3-12-2024/