Gospel in Art: All things were made through him

Earth at Night / The Black Marble. Photo by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2017 © NASA

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 4 January 2026
John 1: 1-5, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Reflection on the NASA Photograph

Sometimes we do not need to turn to man-made art to encounter beauty. I am sharing with you a night-time view of our planet, photographed by a NASA satellite in 2017. From space, the Earth appears as a single, luminous artwork: great cities gently twinkling with light, held in the silence of the dark, vast, and seemingly infinite cosmos.

Simply gazing at this image can leave us feeling small, and yet deeply moved by the beauty of Creation, and John's words in today's Gospel reading: "All things were made through him". This NASA photograph visually points to 'something', or rather 'someone' which no photo can ever capture.

From this perspective from space looking at earth, we see no borders, no boundaries, no divisions - just one shared home, held together by light and endless blue oceans. We are reminded that we belong to one another, and that we all belong to the God who created this astonishing universe. God is the supreme Artist: delighting in galaxies and stars, yet equally attentive to the smallest detail of his creation. He knows each one of us by name. In the immensity of space, he notices each one of us... and loves us to infinity and beyond, with a love that has no end.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-1-1-5-9-14-2026/