Readings
I - 2Cor. 11:18, 21-30
II - Mt. 6: 19-23
THE SOUND EYE
‘It is better to light lamp than to curse the darkness’ is a familiar proverb. Yes, light dispels darkness. Jesus in today’s Gospel says that the eye is the lamp of the body. Eye is the most powerful input and output organ of the body system comparatively. What enters the eye, fill our body, mind and heart and we conduct ourselves accordingly. For example; David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful…thus goes the bible verse (II Sam. 11:2). On account of seeing, David sins with Bathsheba, kills his husband Uriah, earns God’s wrath and loses his son. So if the eye if filled with whatever is base, mean and filth, we will be stumbling in darkness of despair, depression and discouragement and stumble the path of others as well. When the eye is filled with all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, the attributes mentioned by St. Paul in his letter to the Church at Philippi (Phil. 4:8), we will be aglow, transmitting the grace, mercy, love and compassion of God and help all around us to walk in our light leading them to the light of God. For example, When Jesus looked up (Lk. 19:5) the sycamore tree to look into the eyes of Zacchaeu, the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector was transformed. It is better to guard our eyes than to let our whole life go a waste and disgrace.
Constant trimming and kindling is required for a lamp to shine bright. Similarly, if we wish to be sparkling with the grace and spirit of God, we must be vigilant about what we see and perceive. What we see defines and describes our life. Therefore, be vigilant and on the guard to carry the light of God in our eyes to radiate the lives of people around us.
Let us today intensify our prayer for the people who are addicted to pornography, online games, movies, bad literature and the like that they may be enlightened by the love and grace of God.
