The Eye is the Lamp of the Body.

Homily for June 22, 2018.

 

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” Matthew 6:21-23. 

Growing up as a child, my usual after-school chore was to ensure there was enough water in the house. After lunch, I would get the wheelbarrow, place some 20-25 litre cans in it and go in search of any nearby house where they had a bore-hole and the gateman was willing to allow me “steal” some water. I remember been chased by dogs at times only to find myself going back again with my innocent face, knocking hard on the gate and saying: “I want to fetch water.”

Back then, I used to day-dream a lot. I imagined myself becoming very rich, living in one of these big mansions that had water wasting away and an array of exotic cars decorating the carport. That was my dream and as I grew older, I realized this wasn’t just my dream but the dream of virtually everyone around me. It is the American Dream, the Nigerian Dream and indeed the World Dream.

However, as Jesus points out in today’s Gospel passage, this dream is in every sense a WORLD-LY dream; a dream that does not go beyond this world; a dream that leads us to gather treasures which lose value, get stolen, expire or become destroyed. This explains why you labour so hard to acquire something, and you are so overjoyed that day, a few days after or at most, a month. You wake up one day and realize that which you thought was the key to your joy has become the centre of your worries, irritation and unhappiness.

This happens because as Jesus says, this world is not the best place to lay up treasures. We are not meant for this world. We came from another world and we are destined to return there. What is the point of building a house I will never live in? What is the point of laying up treasures in a place that is not my permanent home? What is the point of pursuing a dream that never fully materializes? Jesus says to us today, “Store up treasures for yourselves in heaven instead.”

The truth is that we can never deceive ourselves when it comes to where our treasures lie. Those who do not have accounts in a particular bank will not lose sleep if they hear that bank has crashed. Those whose treasures are not in heaven find it difficult to contemplate the things of God or even imagine the existence of heaven.

The story of Athaliah as contained in today’s first reading is one that confirms the word of Jesus to Peter on the night of his arrest: “those who kill by the sword will die by the sword.” Matthew 26:52. Athaliah’s life speaks volumes to those who kill to acquire power placing themselves in positions they do not merit. Like any other treasure in this world, power got through ill-means never lasts.

Dear friends, where is your eye? In other words, where are your treasures? What are your priorities? If your eye is on what this world has to offer, then as Jesus says, your eye is unhealthy and your body is full of darkness. This explains why people get involved in all kinds of evil and are prepared to do anything just to “make it big” in this world. If your only goal in life is to “have a lot of cars and houses that you wouldn’t know which one is which” then watch out for darkness in your thoughts, words and deeds.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to love you with all my heart, mind and soul and to build my treasures only in heaven. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 11^th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2 Kings 11:1-20, Psalm 132:11-18, Matthew 6:19-23).