Gospel in Art: The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light

Impression, Sunrise, by Claude Monet, 1872, Oil on canvas © Musée Marmottan, Paris

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 7 January 2026
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

At that time: When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.' From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Reflection on the Impressionist painting

We are still at the very start of a new year, and today's Gospel brings us to the beginning of Jesus' public life in Galilee. Matthew describes this moment as the arrival of light; a light breaking into a place marked by darkness and uncertainty. It is an image that resonates deeply with us. Even now, in these winter days, we are aware of how precious light is. We know the relief that comes when days slowly begin to lengthen, and how much brighter evenings can lift our mood and renew our energy.

Light does that to us... and so do certain people. We all know individuals whose presence brings warmth, hope, and life, who somehow leave us feeling more alive than before. Jesus was such a presence, but in a way that went far beyond the ordinary. What he proclaimed was not just good news, he embodied it! In him, God is no longer distant. God is near, active, and at work among us.

Probably the most important painting in our Western history of art depicting sunrise, the light coming into the day after hours of darkness, is Claude Monet's Impression, Soleil Levant, painted in 1872, widely regarded as the first Impressionist canvas ever painted. Claude Monet shows us the harbour of Le Havre at daybreak. The scene is quiet and understated: a pale blue-grey sea, mist still clinging to the water, dark silhouettes of boats barely emerging from the nightly gloom. And then, almost unexpectedly, the sun rises: a small, glowing orange disc hovering above the horizon. Monet does not paint sharp outlines or precise details; instead, he lets light and colour do all the work. The world is still half-asleep, caught between night and day. What matters is not what things are, but how light touches them... how a new day slowly announces itself.

As I said, this painting is widely regarded as the first Impressionist work, the spark that ignited an entirely new artistic movement. When critics first saw it, many were scandalised by its looseness and lack of finish, yet that was precisely its genius. Monet was painting not the object, but the experience of light itself, setting art ablaze with a new way of seeing. Modern art was born. And that is what makes it such a powerful companion to today's Gospel. As Jesus begins his ministry, Matthew describes it as a new dawn breaking over people who have lived in darkness. Monet's sunrise transformed the history of art, a new dawn. But of course the light of Christ transforms much more. It transforms everything, literally everything. This is not just the start of a day, but the beginning of a new creation, where darkness no longer has the final word.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-4-12-17-23-25-2026-2/