Gospel in Art: The Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Immaculate Heart of Mary, by Miguel Ballejo y Mandirano, 1750 © Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 17 June 2023
Luke 2:41-51

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.

Reflection on the painting.

After celebrating the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus yesterday, we celebrate today the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 2010 Pope Benedict XVI commented: "the heart indicates the centre of human life, the point where reason, will, temperament and sensitivity converge… to be devoted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means therefore to embrace this attitude of heart which makes the fiat - 'be it done unto me according to your word' - the defining centre of one's whole life."

The heart that resembles that of Christ more than any other is without doubt the heart of his mother, Mary. Traditionally in art, the heart of Mary is depicted in a wide variety of ways. Probably the most poignant way is when Mary is depicted with the seven wounds or seven swords, in remembrance of her seven sorrows. It highlights the pain which Mary felt at various stages throughout her life. Pain is indeed very hard to cope with. It can come from many sources but it is perhaps most punishing when it attacks us through a loved one. For Mary, to see her beloved son suffer and die in front of her eyes was the deepest of pain any human can experience.

Though the scenes of the Seven Sorrows vary slightly, the seven most commonly depicted are: the prophecy of Simeon foretelling Mary's suffering; the flight into Egypt to escape the killing of the infants; the loss of the child Jesus in the Temple, in which Mary and Joseph lose Christ for three days; Mary's meeting with Christ carrying the cross to Mount Calvary; the crucifixion itself; Mary taking the body of Christ down from the cross; and finally placing the body of Christ in the tomb. All seven are depicted in our mid-18th-century Mexican painting. Note how Christ is shown crucified not on a wooden cross, but on one of the swords piercing Mary's heart.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-2-41-51-2023/