Gospel in Art: What God has united, man must not divide

Goodbye Papa (The Farewell) by Vladimir Makovsky. Painted in 1894. @ Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 6 October 2024
Mark 10:2-16

Some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, 'Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?' They were testing him. He answered them, 'What did Moses command you?' 'Moses allowed us' they said 'to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.' Then Jesus said to them, 'It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, 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.' Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them, 'The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.'

People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, 'Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

Reflection on the painting

Today's Gospel reading is a difficult one, particularly because it can feel oppressive when taken out of context. This is especially true when we reflect on it alongside the experiences of those we know who are divorced or struggling with their marriages. However, we must approach these challenging passages with care and openness, recognising that we all come to them with our own brokenness. The reading focuses on relationships. Once again, the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus, posing a question they already know the legal answer to. Jesus, however, redirects the conversation away from legalities and towards God's original vision for marriage, as expressed in Genesis. He reframes the issue, focusing on the true meaning of love and commitment. From the very beginning of creation, God's intention for marriage was for two people to be faithful, devoted, and lifelong companions, bound in a relationship that should not be broken. Jesus shifts the discussion from the breakdown of relationships to the sanctity of unity, reminding us that this unity is part of God's design for humanity from the very start of Creation.

Our painting from 1894 is by Russian artist Vladimir Makovsky. We see a bride bidding farewell to her father. His expression is one of sadness, yet tinged with joy as his daughter embarks on a new chapter, marrying her fiancé. The father's love is captured tenderly, while the bride's expression is more complex-perhaps a mixture of sadness, joy, resignation, worry, excitement. The father is staring at his daughter; the daughter is staring reflectively in the distance. This beautiful painting reflects a moment of transition, where the love between a father and daughter evolves to make way for the new love found in marriage.

Though we often fail in love due to our human brokenness, today's reading offers us hope. God calls us to loving, committed relationships, and we are reminded that we need others... to both love and be loved.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-10-2-16-2024/