Gospel in Art: Come to me and I will give you rest

View of Medinet El-Fayoum by Jean-Léon Gérôme, National Gallery of Art, Washington

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 17 July 2025
Matthew 11:28-30

At that time: Jesus declared, 'Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'

Reflection on the painting

Today's Gospel reading reminds us that it is Jesus who first calls us: 'Come to me, all you who labour, and I will give you rest.' The life of faith always unfolds as a twofold movement: we invite the Lord into our lives, and we respond to His invitation to draw near to Him. We invite and He responds; and He invites and we respond, in the knowledge that his invitation came first and is always there. It is always God who takes the first step. His love reaches out to us before we can ever begin to seek Him. Our faith is, at heart, always a response to this divine initiative.

In today's Gospel, Jesus extends a deeply personal invitation: 'Come to me.' He does not say 'Come to my teachings' or 'Come to my followers', but 'Come to me'. This is an individual, intimate call. And with this call comes a promise: 'I will give you rest.' But what kind of rest is this? We may think of rest as inactivity, but in the biblical sense, it means something far richer. It is like the refreshment of a weary traveller who finds an oasis after a long and exhausting journey: a rest that restores, renews, and strengthens. Such rest is not about withdrawing from life, but about finding in Christ the deep wellspring of peace that enables us to continue the journey with new strength and joy.

Our painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme depicts the oasis of Medinet El-Fayoum. The town, located some 80 miles southwest of Cairo, started as an oasis centuries ago where caravans of travellers sought rest and water, to then continue on their journey strengthened and re-invigorated. Over time the oasis of El-Fayoum developed into a larger town. Gérôme was one of the most celebrated and commercially successful French artists of the late 19th century. His richly detailed Orientalist scenes drew inspiration from his extensive travels throughout Egypt, North Africa, Syria, Asia Minor, and the Holy Land, capturing the exotic landscapes and cultures he encountered during his career.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-11-28-30-2025/ (with audio)