eye-stopper
"Remember, where your treasure is, there your heart is also. The eye is the body's lamp." —Matthew 6:21-22
Jesus was talking about earthly treasure, and then He changed the subject to eyes. This implies that what we allow our eyes to look at affects what we treasure. In fact, our eyes have an extreme effect on our values and lifestyle. Jesus said: "If your eyes are good, your body will be filled with light; if your eyes are bad, your body will be in darkness. And if your light is darkness, how deep will the darkness be!" (Mt 6:22-23)
Therefore, we must guard our eyes not only from sexual temptations but also from temptations to a pleasure-seeking, self-centered lifestyle. This limits our TV viewing drastically. We may not think TV is affecting us but the Lord says it is. Obviously, advertisers know He's right. They're not paying thousands and millions of dollars for programs and commercials that won't affect us. Eve probably didn't think looking at the forbidden fruit would affect her, but it resulted in the first sin and the ruin of our human nature (Gn 3:6).
The Lord set our eyes into our heads to protect our eyes. He also gave us eyelids and eyebrows for more protection. Just as He gives our eyes special protection physically, the Lord wants to protect our eyes spiritually. Therefore, we must let Him be Lord of our lives and our eyes.
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to close my eyes lest I look on evil (Is 33:15).
Promise: "All the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet." —2 Kgs 11:20
Praise: Barbara takes seriously the Lord's command to guard her eyes by having no TV set in her home.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet TV Addiction or our tape on audio AV 65-1 or video V-65.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 29, 2009
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