Gospel in Art: Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!

Trust in Jesus, by Yongsung Kim, 2019 © Yongsung Kim, all rights reserved

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 3 December 2024
Luke 10:21-24

In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.'

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.'

Reflection on the painting

When we hear the word 'Beatitudes', our thoughts often turn to the ten Beatitudes at the start of the Sermon on the Mount, which are very familiar to us. However, these are not the only beatitudes found in the gospels. Today's Gospel reading includes another, directed to all of us: 'Happy the eyes that see what you see.' Jesus proclaims us blessed because we have been granted the opportunity to see and hear what generations of Israel's prophets and kings in the Old Testament longed for but never experienced.

And that is very true. We are indeed fortunate to have seen and heard what the prophets could only hope for. We may not have seen and heard Jesus in the way that his first disciples did, but we have seen and heard him in and through the gospels, in and through the church. As we are at the beginning of Advent preparing for the celebration of Jesus' birth, it is a fitting time today to pause and give thanks to God for the precious gift of our Christian faith. Our faith is not something we have earned; it is a precious gift freely given by God. Yet, like any gift, it must be seen, unwrapped, opened, recognised and embraced. It calls us to open our eyes and hearts, to actively seek and perceive its presence in our lives.

A beautiful visual representation of the gift of faith, is our panting by Korean artist Yongsung Kim. It depicts a young girl, leaning on Jesus, looking out of a window, whilst a lit lantern is illuminating the scene. Her relaxed pose shows she is fully trusting in Jesus. She has seen the gift of faith and embraced it fully.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-10-21-24-2024/