Gospel in Art: What I tell you in the dark, say in the light

Saint Peter in prayer by Matthias Stom, painted 1633 - 1640 © National Museum, Warsaw

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 21 June 2026
Matthew 10:26-33

At that time: Jesus instructed his Apostles: 'Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

'Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father knowing. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

'Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.'

Reflection on the painting

In every human life there are things we don't mind sharing in public and other things we prefer to keep strictly private. Some things we gladly share with others; other matters we speak of only among close friends or within the quiet of our homes, and some things we keep entirely to ourselves and share with no-one. Each person draws that line differently. What one person considers appropriate for open conversation, another may guard carefully as private. Some people reveal very little of themselves, while others speak freely and openly about almost everything. We sometimes feel that certain people hide too much, whilst others perhaps reveal too much.

In today's Gospel, however, Jesus speaks of something that can never remain hidden. He says: "What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops." Christ is speaking about the Gospel itself: the Good News that He came to bring into the world. Faith is not meant to remain locked away in the private corners of our hearts. Jesus calls His disciples to stand openly with Him, not in an aggressive or boastful way, but with courage, joy and conviction.

And so the Gospel gently challenges us today: where does our faith belong? Is it something we keep almost entirely private, hidden away from daily life, work and conversation? Or does our faith quietly shape the way we speak, act, forgive, love and live in public? Christianity was never meant to be merely a hidden interior sentiment. True faith naturally shines outward, just as light cannot help but radiate from a flame.

Such light radiating from a flame gave birth in the 17th century to an entire artistic genre known as chiaroscuro, from the Italian words chiaro (light) and scuro (dark). Artists discovered that a single flame in a dark room could create extraordinary drama, depth and emotion. Light was no longer merely practical illumination; it became theological, symbolic and deeply spiritual, with the one source of light having a major impact on its surroundings. Great masters such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Georges de La Tour mastered this play between darkness and light beautifully. Our painting by Matthias Stom is a further beautiful example of this tradition.

We see Saint Peter seated quietly in prayer beside a small flame. The room around him is almost entirely swallowed by darkness, yet the candlelight gently illuminates his weathered face, his clasped hands, the folds of his robe, and even the open pages of Scripture and keys before him. The flame is small and fragile, yet it transforms the whole scene. Stom understood something deeply Christian: a tiny light can overcome immense darkness. Peter himself had known failure, fear and denial, yet here he appears transformed by prayer and grace. The light beside him becomes more than candlelight; it becomes the light of faith itself.

LINKS

Christian Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-10-26-33-2026/
Video: How art called me to the priesthood: www.indcatholicnews.com/news/55096