Gospel in Art: If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you

Joan of Arc, by John Everett Millais, 1865 © Wikimedia Commons

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 9 May 2026
John 15:18-21

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.'

Reflection on the painting

In our own time, we have become increasingly aware of Christians who suffer for their faith, especially in parts of the Middle East or the Far East, where some have paid the ultimate price rather than renounce their belief in Christ. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus speaks to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. He does not hide the truth from them: if the world has rejected Him, it may well reject them too. Here, the "world" is not creation itself, but those who turn away from the light of Christ and resist His message. The word 'world' here is shorthand for those who have said 'no' to Jesus. These are sobering words. To follow Christ is not always to walk an easy path.

We may not face the same kind of persecution in our part of the world here in the West, but we know how subtle forms of secular resistance can creep in. There can be a quiet pressure to remain silent, to keep faith private, to avoid standing out. At times, we may feel hesitant, even intimidated, in a culture that can be uneasy with faith. And yet, when we turn to the Acts of the Apostles that we have been reading from in recent weeks, we see something remarkable: the early Christians, despite opposition, spoke and lived with extraordinary courage. Their strength did not come from themselves, but from the Holy Spirit. That same Spirit is given to us. And it is only by opening ourselves to Him that our faith, too, can grow in courage, quiet confidence, and joyful witness.

The ancient philosopher Aristotle spoke beautifully about courage, describing it as the virtue that stands between fear and recklessness. For him, true courage was not the absence of fear, but the ability to act rightly despite fear. Courage, he said, is to hold firm in what is good, even when it is difficult. Courage, then, is not loud or dramatic; it is often quiet, steady, and faithful. It is the strength to remain true when it would be easier to step back.

In this powerful painting by John Everett Millais, Joan of Arc is shown filled with courage. She is kneeling in armour, her gaze lifted upward, her hands resting on a sword. There is no drama, no noise, only a deep stillness. And yet, everything speaks of courage. It is not loud or heroic in the usual sense; it is interior, grounded, resolute. She looks as someone who has already said "yes," someone ready to face whatever lies ahead, because she knows she is not acting alone.

Joan of Arc was a young peasant girl who believed she was called by God to lead France during the Hundred Years' War. Guided by what she described as divine voices, she led troops to remarkable victories, before being captured, tried, and ultimately burned at the stake in 1431. She was later recognised as a martyr and canonised as a saint because of her unwavering faith, her courage, and her fidelity to God's call, even unto death. In Millais' painting, all of that is distilled into a single moment: not the battlefield, not the flames, but the quiet, decisive courage of a heart listening to God.

LINKS

Christian Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-15-18-21-2026-2/