Today's Gospel in Art: Feast of the Holy Family

The Holy Family, by Gari Melchers, 1891 © Gari Melchers Home and Studio

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 26th December 2021 - Luke 2:41-52

Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.

Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have, you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.'

'Why were you looking for me?' he replied. 'Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father's affairs?' But they did not understand what he meant.

He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority.

His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and men.

Reflection on the Painting

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. This feast falls within the season of Christmastide and, since 1969, is held on the Sunday between Christmas Day and 1st January. The primary purpose of this feast is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families. Whilst the Gospels speak little of the life of the Holy Family in the years before Jesus' public ministry (in passages such as the circumcision, the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt, the Finding in the Temple,…), in art the Holy Family has always held a central place as a favoured subject matter. Mainly in the Renaissance and counter-Reformation art the Holy Family became a popular subject. Sadly since the 19th century, and continuing to this day, very few paintings of the Holy Family have been executed,

Today's painting by Gari Melchers offers a beautiful glimpse of the life of the Holy Family. Whilst it is a nativity scene, it shows us the loving dynamics between Our Lady, Saint Joseph and the Christ child. The parents look tired and exhausted. The lantern by Jesus' little head is not lit; the true Light has come into the world now. Mary is asleep. She has given everything. Without any time for finding a nice place to stay, they found just a cold, hard floor in the humblest of circumstances to bring Christ into the world. The holiest of families in the humblest of places.

Joseph is looking pensive. He may be thinking about what will happen next. His hands were probably the very first hands that touched Jesus. What an amazing moment. We can see on the left that the stable door is open: the whole world is invited in to see Jesus….

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/1034
Christian Art - www.christian.art/