Gospel in Art: The sick are in need of a physician

The Doctor's Visit, by Jan Steen 1660-1665, Oil on panel © Philadelphia Museum of Art

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 4 July 2025
Matthew 9:9-13

At that time: As Jesus passed on from Capernaum, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose and followed him.

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' But when he heard it, he said, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'

Reflection on the Painting

Jan Steen was a master of depicting the lively and often chaotic scenes of 17th-century Dutch life, blending humour with subtle moral commentary. One of his favourite subjects was the doctor's visit, usually involving a young woman diagnosed with lovesickness rather than a genuine ailment. In today's painting, Steen presents such a scene with typical wit and layered symbolism. A bewildered doctor examines a young woman, evidently confused by her apparent symptoms. A smouldering ribbon on the brazier beside her foot, an old folk method used to test for pregnancy, hints that her condition may be more than emotional. The man lurking in the doorway could well be the cause of her ailment. Above all, a laughing figure mockingly holds a herring over the woman's head, satirising her folly and underlining the moral of the story. Steen's painting invites viewers to reflect on personal moral conduct and if we make the wrong choices we may get mocked.

And while the woman in this scene may not be truly ill, we are. Perhaps that sounds a little blunt, but it is spiritually true. All of us, in some way, stand in need of healing. The good news is that our weaknesses, ailments and sins do not repel Christ, they draw Him closer. He is the divine physician who has come not for the well, but for the sick. When we admit our failings and open our hearts to Him, His mercy knows no limits. The Church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners, as Pope Francis said so often.

In today's Gospel, the call of Matthew shows us just how freely the Lord offers communion and forgiveness. He calls us again and again, not despite our brokenness, but because of our brokenness and within our brokenness! As long as we acknowledge our need, His grace will never fail to meet us.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-9-9-13-2025/ (with audio)