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St Jerome,
Painted by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519),
Painting begun circa 1482, unfinished,
Oil on panel,
© Governatorate of the Vatican City State, Vatican Museums |
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.’ |
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| | Reflection on the Painting
In these short instructions for prayer in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus invites us to come before God with open, honest and expectant hearts asking for what we need… in prayer… He clearly tells us that God is always listening to our prayers. What a comforting thought. Just because he doesn’t answer our prayers immediately, or doesn't answer them the way we want, that doesn't mean he is isn’t listening. He always listens!
One of the little gems at the Vatican Museums is this unfinished painting by Leonardo da Vinci. It shows St. Jerome at prayer at the end of his life, a hermit in the wilderness, alone apart from his lion companion. It is one of possibly only six paintings whose authorship by Leonardo has never been questioned, so it is also a very important painting from an art historical point of view. In the past 6 months being here in Rome, on three occasions I spent a good 10 minutes in front of this painting. It is a deeply moving, intimate depiction of the penitent saint in a moment of private devotion and prayer. Looking at it feels like you are intruding in St Jerome’s space. You don’t want to disturb him in prayer. Also, the unfinished surface shows how Leonardo was building up his paintings, like a jigsaw… patiently, slowly, searching, tweaking, altering, all to get the best result. As such it mirrors prayer life: that also need slow building, searching, tweaking, altering, improving, to get to real closeness to Our Lord.
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