Gospel in Art: Do not be anxious about your life

Butterflies and other insects by Jan van Kessel the Elder, 1661 © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 21 June 2025
Matthew 6: 24-34

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

'Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.'

Reflection on the painting

We all experience worry. We worry about people we love, responsibilities we carry, our careers, ... Even Jesus, in his humanity, likely carried concern for his disciples, especially when they struggled to grasp His teachings. But there's a kind of worry that becomes all-consuming, that narrows our attention and drains our freedom to care for others or respond to God. This is the kind of anxiety Jesus speaks about in today's Gospel: the restless preoccupation with material needs, appearances, and uncertainties about the future. We can become so focused on what we lack, that we lose sight of what truly matters.

Jesus calls us to a trusting relationship with God, one that frees us from this cycle of worry. He invites us to simply look at nature, at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field - simple creatures, yet lovingly sustained by the Creator. And if God cares so tenderly for them, how much more will He care for us, His children? There is a kind of concern that is right and responsible, but Jesus warns against the kind that reveals a lack of faith in God's providence. Instead of being anxious about lesser things, Jesus urges us to focus on what truly matters: seeking God's kingdom and living in a way that prepares space for it. If we put that first, He assures us, everything else will fall into place according to His loving plan.

So for today, we look at a small painting depicting some of the wonders of creation. Jan van Kessel the Elder (1626-1679) is known for his extraordinarily detailed and delicate depictions of insects, flowers, shells, birds, animals, and plants, the small, intricate wonders of the natural world. Working in Antwerp, he belonged to a celebrated artistic dynasty: he was the grandson of Jan Brueghel the Elder, and his work reflects both the devotional spirit and scientific curiosity of his time.

Van Kessel's paintings are far more than decorative studies though. He painted these creatures with meticulous precision, often arranged in neat, almost scientific groupings. Each butterfly wing, each shell spiral, and each delicate petal is rendered with awe and reverence, not only as a testament to artistic skill, but as a celebration of God's creation. For van Kessel, the smallest insect or most fragile flower bore witness to the divine order and beauty of the universe. It thus invites us not only to admire nature but to contemplate the Creator behind it.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-6-24-34-2025/ (with audio)