Meules,
Painting by Claude Monet (1840-1926),
Painted in 1890,
Oil on canvas
Sold Sotheby's New York, 14 May 2019, for $110 million
© Sotheby's New York
Meules,
Painting by Claude Monet (1840-1926),
Painted in 1890,
Oil on canvas
Sold Sotheby's New York, 14 May 2019, for $110 million
© Sotheby's New York
The harvest is rich but the labourers are few
Luke 10:1-9
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”
Reflection on the Impressionist Painting
Our Gospel reading today talks about the harvest. A beautiful series of paintings depicting harvesting, are those by Claude Monet and, in particular, his haystacks. The painting we are looking at was sold just over three years ago at Sotheby’s in New York for $110 million, the highest sum ever paid for a work by Monet, and also the record for any Impressionist work of art at the time. It is aesthetically very pleasing, not just because of the use of colour but also because of the thick texture of the paint.
The theme of harvesting is more than mere landscape painting. It shows a basic, essential cyclical human activity where we are dependent on nature and on our hard work to have a good harvest. So no wonder Jesus himself uses the image of harvesting in today's Gospel: we live in dependence on God, but we have to work hard in order to have a good harvest. A good harvest for our souls requires our full cooperation with God.
But before any harvest can take place, we have to sow. But even before the sowing happens, we first need to have the 'willingness' to sow… The result of the harvest is dependent on our willingness to sow. If we are serious about the sowing and the harvesting, then our Gospel today tells us that the kingdom of God will already be very near us…. What a beautiful promise.
Share this Gospel Reading
Did you like this Gospel reading and art reflection?
Join in the discussion about this artwork & Gospel reading
Readings related to Luke 10:1-9
Join our community
In addition to receiving our Daily Gospel Reading and Art Reflection, signing up for a free membership allows you to:
- Comment and interact with fellow members
- Save your favorite readings & artworks
- Access member’s only content
La pintura tiene, para mí, poco movimiento evidente. Pero es para reflexionar y entonces la contemplación toma mi tiempo y mis letras.
La llamada de Dios-Jesús al Reino muestra un algo tan grande que nos deja mirando sin palabras: la Obra empieza por la contemplación.
Para este grupo que ama el Evangelio y el arte, en este día de la amistad, reciban muchas bendiciones y la luz del Espiritu Santo para seguir en el Camino
This is a most beautiful painting with the sun about to rise over the haystacks and beginning to peep between them.
Sunrise, sunset as the song goes. Evidence of a Creator.
I really look forward to the gospel reading and piece of related art each day. I also love the comments and the friendship that is shared.
I want to thank you for the good wishes and wish you all a day full of love.
I sincerely hope this will continue after your ordination Patrick. God Bless.
Peace to all of you! Have a nice day and God bless you!
Welk huis je ook binnengaat, laat je eerste woorden zijn: “Vrede in dit huis!” En als daar een man van vrede woont, zal uw vrede op hem rusten; zo niet, dan zal hij bij u terugkomen. Erg nuttige aanwijzingen in deze tijden, waar wij als individualisten niet altijd goed weten wat te doen als we een ‘vreemde’ tegen komen ! Zorg er steeds voor dat je uit iedere ontmoeting er sereen uit komt. Laat un niet verleiden tot controversen, nutteloze discussies, scheldpartijen en dies meer.
To whoever is reading this, I wish you have a plentiful day full of love and that you may see his beautiful work in everything around you.
Special thanks to you soon to be Father Patrick, for what you are and for what you do.
Happy love and friendship day!
Thank you Adriana- God bless you today too!
Thanks for that heartwarming post Adriana. God bless all who look in today.
we pray for you, SFG
I have you and your son and your grandkid in my prayers
What a good start of the day, Adriana. You plant a seed! Best wishes to all of you!
Thank you Marleen, sometimes we (I) forget a little kindness goes a long way