Gospel in Art: How happy are the poor in spirit

The Sermon on the Mount, by Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1598 © J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 10 June 2024
Matthew 5:1-12

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

'How happy are the poor in spirit;

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.'

Reflection on the painting

The painting of Jan Breughel we are looking at is very small, only 26 by 36cm in size. So as a viewer one needs to go up close to really see what is going on in the painting. Jan Breughel in his composition decided also to put Jesus amongst the crowds. He is hard to see. That is exactly what the people present at the Sermon on the Mount would have experienced. The figure of Christ, almost lost amid the dense, colourful crowd. However, what Jesus said made them all stand up and listen and put Him firmly centre stage. Identified by a pale yellow halo, Christ stands on a small podium near the centre. We can see the disciples behind Jesus. Plenty of further detail to look at. In the foreground, a gypsy is telling fortunes and a vendor sells bread. Looking at the head-dresses, we can see Jews, Arabs, monks, farmers, poor people, rich people, etc… The Sermon on the Mount is for all people!

The Beatitudes in today's gospel reading can be seen as Jesus painting a portrait of what a disciple of his looks like. Jesus paints a picture of what it means to follow him. More profoundly, the beatitudes are a self-portrait of Jesus himself, revealing his core attitudes and values. He, more than anyone, is poor in spirit, trusting in God above all else. He is gentle, firmly committed to God's purpose without any trace of arrogance. He mourns because people are not living according to God's will and hungers and thirsts to fulfill God's desires. He is merciful to all who are broken in body and spirit. He is pure in heart, with a heart completely given over to the love of God and the service of all God's children. He is the peacemaker, seeking to reconcile all people to God and to each other through his life and death. He was prepared to face persecution in doing God's will and carrying out God's purpose.

Whilst the core calling of all Christians is the same, we each fulfil this calling in our own unique ways. We each colour our mission in our own ways, as so beautifully displayed in our painting showing a myriad of different colours.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-5-1-12-2024/