Childhood of Christ

"Childhood of Christ" by Garrit van Honthorst is a living meditation on the inner life of the holy family. This rich, evocative painting plays with light and darkness and draws the eye inescapably to the glowing flame held by the Christ child. A candle is often used to symbolize Christ. The flame being His divinity and the wax being His humanity. He is the light by which we may see things as they truly are. St. Joseph works surrounded by darkness, far into the night, but bathed in the light of the candle His divine son holds for him.  He lives not only in the presence of Christ by his sight is filled with light of God. God is the light in which we should work, rest, and pray.