Today's Gospel in Art - The disciples were eating without washing their hands

Paramedic spraying down hospital beds, by Alex Majoli March 2020 © Alex Majoli/Magnus Photos

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 9th February 2021 - Mark 7:1-13

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves.

There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, 'Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?' He answered, 'It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.' And he said to them, 'How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother." In this way you make God's word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.'

Reflection on Black & White Photograph

Over the last year, we have been constantly reminded that we need to wash our hands, often. So today's reading resonates with us in a particular way and feels more relevant than before. In our reading we see that Jesus wasn't opposed to people washing their hands before they ate. What concerned Him was that the Pharisees were more worried about what was on the outside than what was on the inside. We can wash our hands constantly and be seen to be washing our hands, but if we were already sick inside before we washed our hands, we can wash our hands all we want but we still won't be healed. It is what is inside us that counts… and that will ultimately show on the outside as well…

The photograph I am sharing with you is by Italian art photographer, Alex Majoli, taken in March last year. He photographed a series of scenes in the hardest-hit region in Italy where the pandemic spread. We see a paramedic hosing down and washing some hospital beds. This is from a series of photographs he did for Vanity Fair magazine. All in black and white. Colour images tell a story, while black and white photographs move us a step away from reality, as none of us sees the world in black and white. By subtracting colour, we as viewers are prompted to add our own emotion to the images…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/696
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php