EYE OF THE HURRICANE

“If your eyes are good, your body will be filled with light.” –Matthew 6:22

Are your eyes good? Good eyes see only what God wants them to see. Good eyes do not look around carelessly (see Prv 4:25-27). That’s too dangerous. Good eyes are selective. We close our eyes lest we look on evil (Is 33:15). It’s important to protect them from the evil one. We must hold faith up as a shield (Eph 6:16) or be hit in the eye and be wounded.

Our eyes and thoughts “should be wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of praise” (Phil 4:8). Otherwise, we will carelessly expose ourselves to temptation. The forbidden fruit of sin is “pleasing to the eyes” (Gn 3:6). We will be tempted to treasure it and fall into sin. “Remember, where your treasure is, there your heart is also” (Mt 6:21).

Jesus emphasized controlling our eyes to the point of saying, “If your right eye is your trouble, gouge it out and throw it away! Better to lose part of your body than to have it all cast into Gehenna” (Mt 5:29). Girl-watching or boy-watching are not summer sports; rather, they are gambling with eternal salvation and damnation. Immodest dress is extremely serious. An afternoon “sight-seeing” at the pool could lead to an eternity in the fires of Gehenna. Indiscriminate TV viewing is Russian roulette. Handheld electronic devices open wide the path to destruction. Jesus is not over-reacting. He is the Truth (Jn 14:6); we must repent and change.

PRAYER: Jesus, I accept You as Lord and Savior of my eyes.
PROMISE: “Do not lay up for yourselves an earthly treasure.” –Mt 6:19
PRAISE: Joseph and Martha insist that their children dress modestly and have the proper mindset for Church. They want God to be glorified and others to not be tempted during Holy Mass.