Gospel in Art: Say 'Yes' if you mean Yes, 'No' if you mean No

Yes - No, Sculpted by Markus Raetz, 2003, Cast bronze © Markus Raetz artist

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 15 June 2024
Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples: 'You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God's throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.'

Reflection on the sculpture

Today's artwork is rather hard to illustrate in a simple photograph. So we collated three images in one. Swiss artist Markus Raetz creates these optical illusion sculptures that change depending on the angle the viewer is looking at. Our bronze work portrays the word YES shifting into the word NO when viewed from a different angle. It is a clever optical sculpture. Isn't it so that when we look at situations from a certain angle we would think one way, and then looking at the same reality from another angle, we would have opposite thoughts?

This is often our issue, that we say 'yes' to something when in a certain situation, and 'no' when in another. Inconsistency when we are placed at 'different angles' or in different situations or with different friends. Jesus in today's reading is calling us to be consistent and let our yes be a yes and our no be a no, irrespective of who we are talking to or what angle or situation we find ourselves in. Jesus is calling His followers to be people of known integrity and consistency.

Throughout this section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is focussing on getting what is in our heart right. Once were have our hearts right, it will then shape all we say and do. So the first and most demanding task is the former, getting what is in our heart right. The only way to do this is to take Jesus' teachings of the sermon on the mount to heart and let it take roots. Everything else will flow from that and your 'yes' will be a 'yes', and our no's will be no's.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-5-33-37-2024/
Vote for the Laudamus Award 2024 for Sacred Art: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/49963