Gospel in Art: His disciples plucked and ate in the cornfields

Brambly Hedge, by Jill Barklem, painted in 1979 © Brambly Hedge, 2025

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 6 September 2025
Luke 6:1-5

On a Sabbath, while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked and ate some ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, 'Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?' And Jesus answered them, 'Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?' And he said to them, 'The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.'

Reflection on the painting

We have now entered the Season of Creation, which runs from 1 September until 4 October. The Season of Creation is an ecumenical initiative observed by many Christian communities worldwide, including the Catholic Church. It runs each year from 1 September (World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, instituted by Pope Francis in 2015 for Catholics, echoing the Orthodox Church's practice) through 4 October (the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of Ecology). It is a time for us as Christians to pause and remember that the natural world is not just scenery, but a gift entrusted to us by God.

You can read the message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for the 10th World day of Prayer for the Care of Creation here: click here.

Creation has the power to refresh us, to heal our spirits, and to draw us closer to its Creator. In today's gospel, the disciples plucked a few heads of grain as they walked through the fields, gratefully receiving what lay before them as a simple gift. The Pharisees saw this as a breach of the Law, but Jesus reminded them that God's law is always at the service of life and human need. The disciples were hungry, and the generosity of creation was there to sustain them.

It is not so different from us stopping to pick a few berries from a hedgerow on a summer's walk. For children or adults alike, each time we do this, we are filled with a simple sense of joy. Jesus invites us in today's reading to see the world around us with eyes of gratitude, aware that every good thing in nature is a blessing poured out from God's hand. Our watercolour was painted by the English artist Jill Barklem. It is a charming and intricate vision of life among the hedgerows. In her delicate watercolours, the humble bramble becomes a whole world: its twisting branches, blossoms, and berries forming shelter. Her paintings feature field mice, dressed in tiny clothes, busily working, celebrating, and caring for one another. The brambles are not just a backdrop but a living environment, protective, nourishing, and full of character... showing how even the smallest creatures can thrive when they live in harmony with the gifts of creation.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-6-1-5-2025/