Gospel in Art: For it is from within, from men's hearts, that evil intentions emerge

Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pompeo Batoni © Church of the Gesù, Rome

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 12 February 2025
Mark 7:14-23

At that time: Jesus called the people to him again and said to them, 'Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.' And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, 'Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?' Thus he declared all foods clean. And he said, 'What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.'

Reflection on the painting

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus speaks about the human heart. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, depictions of hearts are everywhere in our shops, symbolising love, particularly romantic love. However, Jesus' teaching goes far beyond these popular representations, addressing the deeper and more profound meaning of love in the human heart. He describes the heart as the very core of a person, the inner seat of our thoughts, desires, and choices. This core, as Jesus reminds us, holds the potential for both good and evil. By the way we live our lives, we shape our hearts, either filling them with goodness and light or allowing darkness and harm to creep in.

One of the most enduring Christian images in art of a heart, is that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Many of us have seen these images of the Sacred Heart, depicting Christ revealing his own heart as an invitation for us to follow his example. The Sacred Heart symbolises Christ's boundless love for humanity and serves as a call for us to reflect his divine love in our own hearts. Our Christian vocation is to cultivate hearts that reflect the Sacred Heart, aligning our inner being with God's divine love and mercy.

An early representation of the Sacred Heart can be found in Pompeo Batoni's painting from 1767. In this masterpiece, Christ is shown wearing a red tunic, symbolising blood, martyrdom; and a blue mantle, representing heaven and divinity. In his left hand, Jesus holds an inflamed heart, surrounded by a crown of thorns and topped with a cross, symbols of his suffering and his eternal love for humanity. This painting gained widespread recognition and became the official image for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, inspiring countless believers.

Batoni's work is closely connected to the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), the French religious sister who was instrumental in promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart. In her vision, Saint Margaret Mary described seeing the Sacred Heart as "a throne of flames, more resplendent than the sun, transparent as crystal, with this adorable wound." It was surrounded by a crown of thorns, symbolising the wounds inflicted by sin, and bore a cross above it, signifying the weight of Christ's suffering from the moment of his Incarnation. Batoni's painting captures this description perfectly. The painting is still displayed above the altar in the northern side chapel of the Church of the Gesù in Rome.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-7-14-23-2025/