Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint John Vianney

Bedroom of the Curé d'Ars, Ars-sur-Formans, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France © Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 4 August 2023
Matthew 13:54-58

Coming to his home town, Jesus taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, 'Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter's son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? His sisters, too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all?' And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house', and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Reflection on the interior

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint John Vianney (le Curé d'Ars). Our photograph shows his bedroom at his home in Ars-sur-Formans, France. It is part of an 18th- century house that has been kept as it was. St. John Vianney's furniture, religious items and belongings are on display there. The saint lived in the house for 41 years. Since 2014 the house has been approved as a "Maison des Illustres" and is open to visitors.

In 1818, Saint John Vianneywas appointed by his Bishop to be the parish priest at Ars in France. Apparently before his arrival, the town was very sceptical about the Catholic faith, so it was a challenging appointment. On his way to Ars, St John got lost. He encountered a young shepherd boy by the name of Antoine Givre. After they exchanged a few words, Vianney admitted to the boy that he was lost. The little shepherd pointed him in the right direction and walked alongside his new priest friend to the small town of two hundred people. It is said that Saint John Vianney at the end of their walk said to Antoine: 'Thank you for showing me the way to Ars. Now I will show you the way to heaven'.

The work of Saint John reached far beyond the boundaries of the little town of Ars. He would often be in the confessional for over 16 hours a day. People came from all over France and beyond, to confess their sins and to hear him preach. He must have been an extraordinary man. His feast day is today because at 2 am on the 4th August 1859, the Lord called his faithful servant home. For nearly ten days and nights, people lined the streets in Ars waiting patiently to pay their respects to him. His funeral was attended by three hundred priests and more than six thousand people. All the neighbouring villages in a radius of over ten kilometres rang their church bells.…

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-13-54-58-2023/