The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it under a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body is also full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

- Luke 11:27-36

 Yesterday, we read that Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was mute.  So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.  But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.  But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  My study bible tells us that these verses on read on most feasts of the Virgin Mary in the Orthodox Church.  It says, "Jesus corrects the woman from the crowd, not by denouncing his mother, but by emphasizing her faith.  People are blessed in God's eyes if, like Mary, they hear the word of God and keep it.  The Greek word menounge, here rendered more than that, is translated 'Yes indeed' in Romans 10:18.  This word corrects by amplifying, not by negating."   In chapter 8 of Luke, Jesus made a similar kind of affirmation (see Luke 8:19-21).

 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here."  My study bible notes:  "The sign of Jonah is (1) the fact that the rebellious Ninevites were willing to repent at Jonah's preaching, and (2) that Jonah coming out of the great fish prefigures Christ rising from the tomb (Matthew 12:40)."  It says that in contrast to the Ninevites' repentance, the failure of this evil generation (especially its leaders)  to repent at something far greater -- Christ's preaching and Resurrection -- will result in their judgment.  See Jonah 3 for the story of the Ninevites' repentance.  The queen of the South is also called the queen of Sheba, and is she who came to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and was witness to the love of God for Israel (see 1 Kings:1-10).

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it under a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body is also full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."   Jesus has said, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).  God is the true light that shines above and beyond all other light;  God's illumination is shared with us in relationship.  Our eyes, in that sense, perceiving the grace of God, become lamps to illumine the whole of who we are.  What "light" do we receive?  My study bible says, "Light is necessary both for clear vision and for life itself.  Faith relies on this divine light, and believers become 'sons of light' (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15)."

Jesus begins to speak about judgment, and the blindness of those who demand a sign (see yesterday's reading) and cannot see what is right in front of them.  He compares them to the Ninevites who repented at the preaching of the prophet Jonah; He compares them to the Queen of Sheba who recognized and honored the wisdom of Solomon, and saw in Solomon's kingship the love of God for Israel.  Jesus says that something (Someone) far greater than Jonah or Solomon is among them.  It is the presence of the Kingdom that He brings into the world, in His person.  This is the light itself, the origin of all light, the light beyond the light we know, the very light that created light.  And yet, they still look for a sign, despite all that He is done.  They call for some sort of formal proof (which they will judge themselves).  Where is the lamp of the eyes for them?  What do they see?  How are they illumined?  Christ calls on us all to remember that our eyes are lamps; they are metaphors for how we see in every other way in life, especially a soul or spirit conception of what makes life enlightened, what gives us "life in abundance."   It is all about our capability to perceive of that light so that it illumines the whole body, the fullness of who we are.  If you think about it, such a light illuminating the whole body is a light that shines to show us fully what our lives are about.  If instead, there is only darkness, how can we even know our true selves, and all the things we might be capable of in God's light?  There is a great power to the lamp of the eye, lamps that are bright and capable of much light.  Such lamps as illumined by God, by Christ the true Light, are capable of shedding light on so much within themselves and around themselves.  In the Greek Orthodox Church, the midnight service of Easter begins Resurrection at midnight with a candle at the altar, from which are illumined all those in attendance who hold their own candles, to them take home and light oil lamps or candles there.  This is how the light of God - Christ the true Light that came into the world - lights our own lamps, our eyes, that which allows us to "see."  If you allow this flame to burn in yourself, what can it illumine for you?  It can illumine your way, can illumine your flaws, can shed light on your hidden capabilities and talents, it can take you through a path in life and also light the way for others.  But it begins with the eyes lit by God.  If Sheba, who was from outside of Israel, could honor Solomon and God's love, if the people of Nineveh, a pagan city, could repent at God's word, then how much more do we have offered to us?  As in yesterday's reading, Jesus is still elaborating here on the idea of the refusal of grace.  Let us remember that grace is the light of God reaching into the world for us, for our communities and for us as individuals.  Here, Jesus teaches us about the lamp of the eyes, of perception, what we use to "see" with in every sense.  Are we capable of the light of God, the holy fire of grace which lights the lamps of the eyes?   Can we accept that we are meant for this?  Are we ready to receive the illumination that sheds light on both our flaws and our capabilities and possibilities?  Are we ready to take our places with Sheba and Nineveh?  Or do we choose to dwell in the darkness?

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things

 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

- Matthew 12:33-42

Yesterday, we read that one was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"  Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they shall be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?  And then he will plunder his house.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.  Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."

 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  As in yesterday's reading, when Jesus spoke of the blasphemy of the Spirit, so in today's reading, Jesus continues regarding such people.  My study bible points out that this is a pronunciation of severe judgment regarding such behavior:  "As the tree is revealed by its fruit, a human being is known by his works.  He will do according to the kind of person he is.  The blasphemers are a brood of vipers because of their evil works and malice.  Their heritage is of no value to them; they bear no fruit appropriate to a chosen people."  In this sense, they are a brood or children of vipers -- suggesting that we reap from what we choose to love, to place first in our lives.  A viper can also be a symbolic image of a demon, of evil.  My study bible also has extensive notes on the biblical use of "heart" here in Jesus' statement:  "The heart in Scripture refers to the center of consciousness, the seat of the intellect and the will, the source from which the whole of spiritual life proceeds.  When grace permeates the heart, it masters the body and guides all actions and thoughts.  When malice and evil capture the heart, a person becomes full of darkness and spiritual confusion."

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  My study bible points out that this demand also reflects the "evil in the heart" Jesus was just speaking about:  "After so many miracles, they now ask Jesus for such a sign?  But Jesus will not cater to their hard-heartedness.  His sign will be His Passion and Resurrection from the dead. . ."  In icons of the Eastern Church, Christ descends even to those in Sheol and lifts Adam and Eve with Him.

"The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."  Again, the theme rests on the blasphemy against the works of the Spirit done through Him.  It is hard-heartedness that fails to recognize this, a willful way of not seeing, a refusal of the grace in their midst.  My study bible points out that the words adulterous generation echo the analogy of the prophets for the infidelity of Israel:  see these passages found in Jeremiah and Hosea.  Jesus compares the present generation with those outsiders, who, while not blessed with the knowledge of the spiritual history of Israel, recognized God's presence -- or the work of the Spirit -- in the preaching of Jonah and the wisdom of Solomon.

Jesus constantly seems to emphasize the importance of spiritual eyes and ears, the capacity to discern in the heart the work of grace, of God.  How do we know what is good, and what is not?  It seems to me that one of the purposes of prayer, of cultivating a relationship with God, is so that we are able better to discern.  We may not all be entirely sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit, but the Gospels suggest to us emphatically that we are not only capable of recognizing the good around us, the work of God or grace in our lives, but that our very souls depend on it.  This responsibility isn't just one that will help us, or even simply make us better persons (although it will do both), it's a kind of key to the entrance of the Kingdom itself.  Our eternal lives depend upon it.  It's the way in which we come to be citizens in this Kingdom.  Jesus very carefully gives instances where it is foreigners, outsiders, who are the ones capable of discerning the work of God in their midst -- in the warnings of the prophets (such as Jonah, who incidentally also was from a town in Galilee near to Nazareth), and in the wisdom of Solomon which was a gift from God.  The Spirit was present and working in the prophecy of Jonah and the wisdom or discernment of Solomon, but these gifts -- like all grace -- needed to be received by others as well, and the people of Ninevah and the queen of Sheba (queen of the South) were capable of that themselves.  These examples give us pause, because they force us to ask ourselves about ourselves and to take these stories out of the past, out of a spiritual history, and to recognize that they are told so that we, too, understand our capabilities and our responsibility.  The situation is just as urgent and necessary now, in the midst of our extremely busy lives and with so many messages that proliferate our minds in a constant barrage of images.  How do you find that connection that tells you true?  Where is the central place of the heart that helps you to discern?  "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you," He taught in the Sermon on the Mount, earlier in Matthew's Gospel.  Let us follow Solomon, and Sheba, and Jonah and the people of Ninevah, and remember what is really worth asking for.  What we really treasure in our heart makes all the difference.