From the Pastor's Pen

Dear friends,

My husband and I spent several hours this morning washing windows at home.  We are not quite half way through all the windows in our home.  We have a lot of windows!  Additionally our windows were really dirty.  I think these windows had not been washed for a while.  I’m hoping this is not a typical year’s worth of dirt!

Anyway, the transformation is remarkable!  Our washed windows are so clear and sparkly.  I keep walking in the rooms that are finished because it is such a pleasure to gaze out of the windows there.  The trees and grass are lovely when viewed out of clean windows!

Jesus said something about the advantages of seeing well.  Sandwiched in the middle of his sermon on the mount is a small wisdom saying:

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. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  (Matt. 6: 22-23)

In practical terms, Jesus was speaking the literal truth.  In Jesus’ day when there were not corrective lenses, cataract surgery, or even good nutrition, eyes could easily be unhealthy leading to blurred vision, dim vision or blindness.  Without healthy eyes, life could seem a pretty foggy experience.  Jesus was not, however, likely speaking literally but rather figuratively. 

Jesus engaged in several healings from blindness and often spoke about spiritual blindness.  He wanted us to understand that we see God’s work with our eyes but often don’t recognize God’s work right in front of us.  We hear God speak through others, or in our reading or even in the whispers of our conscience. Whether we listen, however, is another matter entirely and may be an indication of spiritual blindness.  Jesus invites us to search with healthy eyes, to listen with attentive ears, and to long for the presence and power of God in our lives with hearts that are open and willing to be reshaped.

May this be a day of clear windows for you as you reflect on your life.  May you see God is near and welcome the Lord’s light in this day.

Peace,

Pr. Sally