Gospel in Art: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

The Boating Party by Mary Cassatt, 1894 © National Gallery of Art, Washington

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 28 March 2025
Mark 12:28b-34

At that time: One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, 'Which commandment is the most important of all?'

Jesus answered, 'The most important is, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."

The second is this: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these.'

And the scribe said to him, 'You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.' And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Reflection on the painting

Mary Cassatt was an American painter, born in Pennsylvania, who spent much of her adult life in France, where she became close friends with Edgar Degas. As one of the few prominent female Impressionists, she exhibited alongside the movement's leading figures. Her work primarily depicted the social and private lives of women, often highlighting the deep, intimate bonds between mothers and their children. In our painting, we see a mother holding her child closely, both gazing at the gentleman rowing the boat. Is he the father, or simply a boatman ferrying them from one place to another? We cannot say for certain. Yet, whatever the circumstances, the painting beautifully captures maternal love, as well as the care and responsibility the boatman shows in safely guiding the family to their destination.

Time and again, the Bible reminds us that love is the greatest virtue we can hold. It is love for our neighbour, our families (as seen in this painting), our friends, but above all, Jesus declares: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart." This, He tells us, is the greatest commandment.

Yet, we cannot love God fully without His help. Within each of us, He has planted a deep longing to love Him, a longing that must be nurtured in order to grow. Just as a musician improves through dedicated practice, and a rower (as in our painting) becomes more skilled with each stroke, so too does our love for God deepen the more we give ourselves to Him. The more we seek Him, the more we will love Him... until our hearts, like the mother's embrace in this painting, reflect the love that God first poured into us.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-12-28b-34-2025/ (with audio)