Today's Gospel in Art - Solemnity of Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, by Francois Jean Baptiste Constant © St Martin Church, Villers-sur-Mer, France

Gospel of 19th March 2021 - Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.' When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.

Reflection on the Painting

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph. At Saint John Lateran here in Rome, three months ago, on 8 December 2020 (the day of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Pope Francis declared that the coming year would be the year of St Joseph. He issued an Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde, well worth a read. Click here to read the Apostolic letter. Pope Francis describes beautifully how Joseph loved Jesus 'with a father's heart'. He gives two reasons for his choice of making 2021 the year of St Joseph: firstly, this year is the 150th anniversary of the Proclamation of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church; and secondly because Pope Francis feels that St Joseph is an important figure for the pandemic age we live in.

Today's painting by Benjamin Constant is probably one of my favourite paintings of Saint Joseph. Saint Joseph is portrayed as a middle aged man, with the carpenter's saw at his feet. A lily is beside him, symbolic of his virginal marriage. Most other paintings of Saint Joseph would depict him holding baby Jesus. Not here. He is simply sitting next to his Son. Side by side. Jesus is depicted in his early teens. They don't look at each other, but… they are looking ahead together… they share the same horizon.

The painting shows a communion of destiny. Saint Joseph wasn't simply an onlooker at the plan of God's salvation. No, he was actively part of God's plan of salvation… side by side with his Son.

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/749
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php