Luke 11:42-46 | James Campbell | A lawyer then spoke up.

Luke 11: 42-46   A lawyer then spoke up.

Waiting for Legal Advice,  Painted by James Campbell (1828 - 1893),  oil on board, Painted in 1857 © Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool The Lord said to the Pharisees: ‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it! A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’ ‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’   READ MORE     Reflection on the Painting The painting of a lawyer's office we are looking at today is by James Campbell, active in the mid 19th century. His pictures mainly depict the lives of lower-middle class and working class life in his native Liverpool.  He drew on his first hand experience as the son of an insurance clerk to paint this picture. The Walker Art Gallery where this picture hangs, describes him as ‘the most Dickensian of all the Pre-Raphaelites’. It is hard to know exactly what is going on. A grumpy old man is waiting to see his lawyer; a well dressed child is looking at him or even teasing him; a ‘by order of the mortgagee’ poster is hanging behind them; in the background, two clerks whisper behind a screen etc… Always intriguing when we can’t make out exactly what a certain picture is about… Jesus today continues his criticism of the Pharisees, but He is also critical of the cold attitudes some lawyers may have. He warns lawyers not to make life worse for those whom they are meant to help. The letter of the law must not override our Christian spirit: law is meant to serve people well. Whilst Jesus zooms in on the lawyer profession, I am sure this can be applicable to loads of other professions, where all are called to serve the needy and less fortunate: in law, medicine, science, the arts, construction, etc… only when in all these professions a kinder justice, a greater love for our neighbours, and overall generous fairness is present, can we move to a better society. Jesus is again highly critical of those who are fixated on external observance and ritual. In today’s reading, He is calling all professional men and women who are working, to also be aware of our Christian responsibilities in our jobs. Our faith is not just something to be lived and expressed in our private lives, but it also has to be present in our professional lives… and in all we do… by Patrick van der Vorst