Gospel in Art: If his son asks him for bread, will he give him a stone?

La Grande Table, by René Magritte, 1965, Gouache on paper © Sotheby's London, 24 June 2009

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 13 March 2025
Matthew 7:7-12

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.'

Reflection on the gouache painting

In the Gospels, Jesus frequently draws upon the simplicity of everyday life to convey profound spiritual truths. In today's short reading, He speaks of children, bread, and fish, familiar elements of daily village life in Galilee. Jesus understood that every aspect of human experience has the potential to reveal something about God. Jesus points out that if you ask a villager for bread or an apple, he would not hand you a stone. Likewise, when we pray and ask God for what we need, He will never give us something useless or harmful. Instead, God always offers us true nourishment, food that sustains both body and soul. He will give us what we need; not necessarily what we think we need.

Our painting today, by Belgian surrealist René Magritte, presents a thought-provoking image: an apple mysteriously transformed into stone. At the heart of this work lies a paradox-the contrast between the fragility of the fruit and the solidity and timelessness of the rock. Magritte challenges us to reconsider the meanings we attach to familiar objects by placing them in unexpected contexts. His surreal vision invites us to reflect on how easily our perceptions can be altered and how appearances can be deceptive.

Jesus, however, uses ordinary objects and familiar images not to confuse but to clarify. His message today is simple yet profound: keep praying, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. God is not distant or indifferent; He listens and responds. "For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Jesus encourages us to approach God with confidence and persistence, trusting that our heavenly Father's gifts will always be good, nourishing, and life-giving... never like a stone, but always like bread.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-7-7-12-2025/ (with audio)