Biblical art in Catholic churches
Category: Gospels
As Christ was dying on the cross, he was guarded by a group of Roman soldiers led by a centurion. The gospels tell us that when the centurion witnessed the circumstances of Christ’s death, he praised God and came to faith. (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47) As Pope Benedict XVI explained: “At the end … Continue reading The Centurion’s faith in Christ (Mark 15:39)
The episode of Christ meeting the Samaritan women at a well belongs in St John’s gospel (John 4:1-42). The story gives us a sense of Christ’s respect for women, his sensitivity and his determination to break down barriers. One day, when he was on his way back to Galilee, Christ came to a town called … Continue reading Christ meets the woman at the well (John 4:1-42)
The baptism of Christ is described in all four gospels (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34). This event marked the start of Christ’s public ministry. It was a sign that he was both the promised Messiah and the Son of God. St John the Baptist performed the baptism in the River Jordan. Pope … Continue reading The Baptism of Christ (Matthew 3:13-17)
St Joseph is probably best-known for his key role in the Nativity, travelling with his pregnant wife to Bethlehem and caring for the Christ child in the manger. However, there are several other episodes recorded in the gospels that tell us more about him and of his important role in the life of Christ. As … Continue reading The Life of St Joseph (Matthew 1:18-2:23)
Christ once told a story about how God is always ready to forgive our sins. It’s commonly known as ‘the parable of the prodigal son’, because the younger son in the story was ‘prodigal’, or reckless with money. The famous parable, from St Luke’s gospel, sits alongside two others on the subject of God’s mercy … Continue reading The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
‘The Visitation’ is the formal name for the visit of the Virgin Mary to her elderly relative, St Elizabeth. The episode is described only in St Luke’s gospel. It took place straight after the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was pregnant. Mary’s first thought on receiving this news was for her elderly relative Elizabeth, … Continue reading The Visitation (Luke 1:39-45)
The gospels say that after his baptism, the Holy Spirit led Christ into the desert for a spiritual retreat (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). Although there were wild animals in the desert, the angels looked after him. After he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, the Devil arrived to tempt him. Pope … Continue reading The Temptation of Christ (Luke 4:1-13)
The Benedictus is the name of a poetic speech given by St Zechariah, the father of St John the Baptist. It’s named after the first word of the poem – ‘Benedictus’ - which is the Latin word for ‘Blessed’. He uttered these words after regaining his faith and the power of speech. Pope St John … Continue reading The Benedictus (Luke 1:67-80)
The story of Christ’s very first miracle is found only in St John’s gospel. It took place during a wedding at Cana in Galilee, near where Christ grew up. His mother was there as a guest of the couple. Both Christ and his disciples had also been invited. During the wedding banquet, there was a … Continue reading Christ turns water into wine (John 2:1-11)
The story of Christ blessing the children is found in three of the gospels (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). It reveals Christ’s positive attitude towards children, encourages adults to trust in God and is one of the reasons that the Church baptises newborns. Given his popularity, one day some people brought their children to … Continue reading Christ blesses the children (Mark 10:13-16)
