Gospel in Art: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church

Oracle, 1990, © Anish Kapoor, all rights reserved

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 3 September 2024
Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' 'But you,' he said 'who do you say I am?' Then Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ,' he said 'the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.'

Reflection on the contemporary art sculpture

Today's artwork is by Anish Kapoor, a British sculptor based in London. Entitled 'Oracle', the piece was created in 1990, the same year he represented Britain at the XLIV Venice Biennale. The sculpture features a large sandstone rock, meticulously carved to form a rigid rectangular cavity coated with blue pigment on the inside. The organic shape of the naturally sculpted stone contrasts starkly with the precise, man-made lines of the cavity. This juxtaposition is enhanced by the visual experience of peering into the cavity, which reveals an apparently infinite expanse of blue, evoking a sense of the infinite contained within the rock.

In today's reading, Jesus calls Peter to be his rock, entrusting him with the infinite and timeless responsibility for Christ's church. Jesus recognised the boundless potential within Peter. Maybe Peter is a bit like our artwork, a bit rough and weathered on the outside, yet with boundless, infinite solidity inside.

It is not without significance that the reading starts with the words 'When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi'. Caesarea Philippi was a city that was literally built on a massive rock!

Peter's profound insight into Jesus' identity laid the foundation for the significant role that Jesus entrusted to him. While Peter's role was distinctive, the question Jesus poses extends to all of us: 'Who do you say I am?' This is a deeply personal question that invites each of us to reaffirm our faith in Jesus, acknowledging him as the Son of God and the guiding force in our lives.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-16-13-19-2024-4/