Today's Gospel in Art - Whoever believes in the Son shall have eternal life

Orphans, by Thomas Benjamin Kennington © Tate Britain, London

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 21st April 2021 - John 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowd:

'I am the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me.

Now the will of him who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day. Yes, it is my Father's will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and that I shall raise him up on the last day.'

Reflection on the Painting

In the last sentence of our Gospel reading today, Jesus promises us that we will be raised up to immortal life with Jesus when He comes again on the last day, if we believe in Him. He says 'whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day'. It is hard though to understand what this means. To be raised up on the last day is a deep mystery that is hard for us to grasp.

Maybe a story that can somehow help us understand today's reading a little more is a true story that happened during World War II. When Europe was being freed from Nazi occupation at the end of the war, there was still terrible hunger. The allied forces grouped many starving orphans together in camps where they would be fed and looked after. Even though they were lovingly cared for, the orphans hardly slept at night. Psychologists were brought to the camps and what transpired is that the orphans were anxious as they feared they would wake up again with no food. The allied forces running the camps then gave the orphans a piece of bread that the children could sleep with at night. The children were told the bread was just to be held and not eaten. The results were amazing. All the kids slept well from then onwards. The guarantee they would wake up to food, calmed their fears and made them fully trust they were now in good hands… We are also asked by Jesus today to trust in the bread of life.

Our painting titled Orphans by Thomas Kennington, may help us reflect on the World War II story, and how we too are in need of our daily bread...

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/782
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php