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Kerze (Candle),
Painted by Gerhard Richter (b. 1932) ,
signed twice, numbered and dated '513-2 Richter 1982’,
oil on canvas,
Painted in 1982
© Christie’s London, 14 October 2011, lot 10, sold for £10.5 million |
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!
‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ |
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| | Reflection on the Painting
Today’s Gospel reading tells us how passionate Jesus was about His mission. He deeply cared for what He did. He first prepared quietly for 30 years and then like the fire He mentions, He went for it and gave His all… literally… The fire he mentions made me think of this painting of a candle by Gerhardt Richter. A very simple yet powerful depiction of a burning candle, slightly blurred. Candles have always been so symbolic not just for the Church, but for society as a whole. They are lit as silent protest against regimes, or when someone passes away (such as when Lady Diana passed away, candles were lit throughout London), or a candle symbolic for a life in pro-life marches, etc… This painting captures for eternity a moment when the candle was lit. Moments before or moments after, the candle would be very different or be extinct. The tension between the permanence of the painting, and the fleeting moment a candle’s life has, is very powerful.
The use of candles in a Church context stems back to the very early Christians. To be able to celebrate the eucharist in hiding and in private houses, candles were used to dispel darkness, as it was customary at the time to celebrate the sacred mysteries before dawn, or in the darkness of the catacombs. The writers of the early Church soon saw the beauty of these candles and thus started writing about the symbolism these candles carried: light is unique, it is pure, it eclipses darkness, it moves at incredible speed, it represents Christ as Light of the World, etc…
Jesus calls us to use whatever we are passionate about (art, politics, environment, etc,..) for His glory and that in our enthusiasm we may spread His message like fire at great velocity, with a great sense of urgency. And then yes, He mentions that doing that may bring division. Following Christ and spreading His Word, can bring us into confrontation with others, even with our closest friends and family. But we pray to Him to receive wisdom to be cautious, loving and caring when we do that…
by Patrick van der Vorst |  | |
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