The Thirty-Three Holy Martyrs of Militene (284-305); Our Venerable Father and Wonderworker Lazarus, Hermit of Mount Galesius (1054).
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 11:34-41.
Read Luke 11:34-41
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today’s gospel is a bit confusing. What does Jesus mean when he talks about the eye as the lamp of the body? One way to figure this out is to look at other places in the Bible that talk about an eye being healthy or unhealthy. In Proverbs, we read that the one “who has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” (Prov 22:9) On the other hand, we also read that a man who has an evil eye “hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.” (Prov. 28:22) Perhaps what the Lord is calling us to hear is to look at the poor and respond to their suffering, rather than simply looking past them.
Come to think of it, this kind of healthy eye – the eye that sees the needs of others and responds – may be a good antidote to the kind of unhealthy eye that puts our salvation at risk. The world we live in is filled with images that can lead us away from the gospel life: billboards that tempt us to stop at every fast food joint, instead of saving our money and avoiding gluttony; posts on social media that train us to envy our peers rather than rejoice in their successes; images on the darker corners of the internet that break down our commitment to chastity. We want to confront all of this with a health eye – so look to the poor, and respond to their needs. This will help us to see Christ.
Bible References