Today's Gospel in Art - You have turned God's house into a robbers' den

Christ driving money-changers from the Temple, by Cecco del Caravaggio © Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

Gospel of 20th November 2020 - Luke 19:45-48

Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. 'According to scripture,' he said 'my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers' den.'

He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

Reflection on the Painting

Our painting is by Cecco del Caravaggio, an early 17th-century follower of Caravaggio. Cecco responded in his own unique style to the original manner of Caravaggio's dramatic naturalism. None of Cecco's works are signed or dated, and therefore we don't quite know the full extent of his oeuvre. Among the old master painters, many if not most paintings were left unsigned, especially in the pre-Renaissance period. Consistency, quality and uniqueness in style were prized above needing a signature of the artist. We see Christ storming down the stairs, clearly annoyed at the money lenders in the temple. Our painting captures the moment that the lenders and their clients see Jesus coming: they quickly grab their coins from the pagan carved altar and panic sets in.

What Jesus is objecting to is the corruption of the sacred, which had made its way into the temple itself. The house of prayer had been handed over to the false gods of money and greed. Jesus challenges therefore the goings-on in the temple itself. And yes, in most of the artworks depicting this scene Jesus is being portrayed as angry, but the root of His issue was mainly disappointment. With one strike (literally), He re-adjusted the focus of the temple back to being a place of worship for His Father. Many times we too have entered our parish churches being distracted, almost forgetting that God is present. Today's reading reminds us of God's presence in our churches, especially in the Blessed Sacrament.

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/612

Christian Art - www.christian.art