Gospel in Art: It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean

Waterdrops, by Kim Tsang Yuel (Korean, born 1929), Painted in 1977 © Christie's Hong Kong

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 7 February 2024
Mark 7:14-23

Jesus called the people to him and said, 'Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.'

When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, 'Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?' (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) And he went on, 'It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men's hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.'

Reflection on the painting

Water drops, in their simplest and most natural form, have long been a symbol of purity and honesty in various cultures and contexts. This symbolism is deeply rooted in the intrinsic properties of water and its fundamental role in life and the environment. Water cleans, water nourishes, water is transparent. That is what Christ is talking about in today's reading. He wants our hearts to be pure, clean and transparent in God.

In the gospel reading Jesus is responding to those who pay too much attention to external ritual, external observance, and not enough attention to what is going on within, in their heart, their inner core.

A single drop of water is clear and transparent, free from any additives or impurities. This clarity is often likened to the virtue of honesty, which is characterised by transparency and straightforwardness. Just as a water drop does not hide what is behind it. Look at our painted drops and how they do not hide the canvas, on the contrary, they magnify it! Jesus is prompting us to do the same by keeping our hearts pure, so his love that dwells in us may be magnified for the world to see...

Our Korean artist of today, Kim Tsang Yuel, has dedicated his life to mastering painting perfect, exquisite, pure waterdrops on a flat, monochromatic canvas, lightly treated in earthen tones. Over the years, I have come across these paintings in many different sizes and each time I see them, the beauty of these painted drops seduces me. In real life upon seeing waterdrops, you know that they are only temporarily there. This seemingly ephemeral moment is so brief that it is hardly noticed in nature. But the artist, by painting these drops, captures them for eternity.

When interviewed about his art, he stated: "I see repetition in terms of prayer, just like I repeat painting water drops. You repeat and repeat until it blocks out all other thoughts, and you pass into an empty state'.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-7-14-23-2024/