Gospel in Art: Why do your disciples not fast?

Giant Pumpkin, by Yayoi Kusama, (born 1929) 2016, Naoshima Art island, Japan © Alamy images

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 20 February 2026
Matthew 9:14-15

At that time: The disciples of John came to Jesus, saying, 'Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?' And Jesus said to them, 'Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.'

Reflection on the Contemporary Sculpture

The gospels suggest that people often asked Jesus the question, 'Why?' In particular, the religious leaders asked him 'why' he was doing this or that or 'why' he was not doing this or that. There was clearly something new and different about the ministry of Jesus which gave rise to this repeated question, 'Why?' I am sure that if we were to meet Jesus tomorrow, we would have the same question: 'why this' and 'why did that happen' and 'why not that'....

In today's very short Gospel reading, it is the disciples of John the Baptist who come to Jesus with a simple but searching question: "Why?" They cannot understand why Jesus and his followers do not observe the same fasting practices as the disciples of John or the Pharisees. Jesus responds with an image both tender and revealing. He likens himself to the bridegroom whose presence turns the moment into a wedding feast - a time not for mourning, but for joy. Yet he also points beyond the present, affirming that fasting will indeed have its place in the life of the Church: "The time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." In these words, Jesus holds together celebration and sacrifice, reminding us that Christian fasting flows not from obligation alone, but from love that longs for the One whom's second coming we await.

The realm of contemporary art often evokes this question 'why?' Why did the artist make this odd looking artwork? This query not only seeks to understand the purpose that gave rise to an artwork but also challenges the very essence of what art is or what it should be. Thus the very question 'why' engages us more deeply in the contemporary art-world. Contemporary art, by its very nature, is a reflection of the current world we live in, capturing the complexities, anxieties, and nuances of how the artist sees the world as it is today. The question of "why" something was made, therefore, is deeply intertwined with the artist's intention to communicate. Thus the challenge arises when the viewer encounters art that seems inaccessible or difficult to interpret. Why for example this giant pumpkin sculpture by the lake in Naoshima? I don't have the answer. Maybe the question is enough to just pause for a moment. Yayoi Kusama Yayoi Kusama , born in 1929, is one of Japan's most prolific contemporary artists. Kusama's work is characterised by her signature use of dense patterns of polka dots, often on pumpkins.

LINKS

Christian Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-9-14-15-2026/