Gospel in Art - Remain in my love

The Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey by Thomas Cole © Smithsonian American Art Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 6th May 2021 - John 15:9-11

Jesus said to his disciples:

'As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments

and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.'

Reflection on the Painting

In our reading today Jesus calls us to 'remain in His love'. Remaining means that we stay in a particular place or space for a long time. But it is not passively remaining there, it is actually all about taking root and blossoming, as a tree would; or a vine which we spoke about in the last few days. We are often tempted to be spiritual nomads. Our life experiences make us float from one space in our minds to a different place in our hearts and we can feel unsteady and shaky at times.

Of course we have to keep moving in our faith, but rather than being nomads, Jesus is calling us to be pilgrims. We are asked to walk with Him, whilst remaining in his love, remaining on our pilgrim's path, remaining focussed on the end destination of our life's pilgrimage.

Today I am sharing with you a painting by Thomas Cole, titled 'The Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey.' The artist died young, at the age of 47, when he was in the middle of composing a group of paintings entitled The Cross and the World. In the beginning of the series, two young men each begin a pilgrimage, one walking towards the light of the cross, the other moving through a worldly life. We see our man here just having crossed mountainous roads, valleys and dark woods, but now he is meeting the angels of redemption and the light of the cross in the distance. The other pilgrim (depicted in a different painting) was tempted by beautiful scenery walking through the world, but ending up in a wasteland of emptiness and ugliness…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/797
Christian Art - www.christian.art