Gospel in Art: Do you not yet perceive or understand?

Saint Jerome Praying in the Wilderness by Leonardo da Vinci,1483, unfinished. © Musei Vaticani. Photo © Governatorate of Vatican City State. All rights reserved.

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 18 February 2025
Mark 8:14-21

At that time: The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, 'Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.' And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?' They said to him, 'Twelve.' 'And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?' And they said to him, 'Seven.' And he said to them, 'Do you not yet understand?'

Reflection on the unfinished painting

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus appears deeply frustrated with his own disciples. Despite all they have witnessed-his teachings, his miracles, and the feeding of the multitudes- they still struggle to understand who he truly is and the significance of his actions. They misinterpret his words, failing to grasp the deeper meaning behind them. Worse still, their confusion will soon turn to abandonment. So Jesus, exasperated, fires a series of eight searching questions at them, much like a teacher struggling to get through to his students.

Mark's Gospel presents the disciples in a rather unflattering light, highlighting their misunderstandings and failures. Yet, despite their shortcomings, Jesus never gives up on them. Mark's message is clear: Jesus, even if at times he may get frustrated with us as he did with his disciples, remains faithful to us, even when we fall short in our faithfulness to him. Wherever we go, whatever challenges we face, he is always ahead of us, calling us to start anew. As St Paul reminds us: "If we are faithless, he remains faithful."

Leonardo da Vinci's Saint Jerome in the Wilderness (c. 1480-1482), housed in the Vatican Museums, is a powerful depiction of frustration and inner turmoil. Saint Jerome's gaunt face, deeply furrowed brow, and piercing gaze convey intense emotional struggle, mirroring the frustration he often expressed in his writings about his battles with temptation, solitude, and the challenges of translating the Bible into Latin. His body, twisted in anguish, reflects both physical and spiritual suffering. Leonardo's own perfectionism and habit of leaving works unfinished likely contributed to the painting's incomplete state. Maybe Leonardo himself got frustrated with painting this panel and left it to one side. It is believed that the artwork was abandoned when Leonardo left Florence for Milan, as he often became deeply engrossed in new projects, leaving several masterpieces unfinished. Despite its incomplete nature, the raw expressiveness of Saint Jerome in the Wilderness makes it one of Leonardo's most striking, introspective works.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-8-14-21-2025/