Have you ever watched an ice cream commercial and said to yourself,
“I could go for a cone right now!” Maybe you have a lot of self-control,
and you think, “Well, that really isn’t a good idea.” But you may also
find yourself drifting into the frozen section of the grocery store next
time you shop. That little inspiration came into your mind, became part
of your thoughts, grew into a kind of craving, and then affected your
actions.
This is what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel
reading. No, there weren’t ice cream commercials in the ancient Middle
East, but Jesus was still clear that what we take in through our eyes
shapes the focus of our hearts and even our actions.
Think for a
minute about how many images you take in during the day: television,
magazines, billboards, Facebook. While many are enjoyable or harmless,
some are downright offensive. If a fifteen-
second commercial can
make you want ice cream, how much more can a longer movie depicting
extreme violence or impure situations influence our thoughts?
The
good news is that these images don’t have to dominate our minds. For
instance, we can learn to guard our eyes by deciding what we will and
will not watch. And in those cases where it’s just unavoidable, we can
learn how to catch the images before they become a part of our thought
process. Blocking unhealthy images and filling our environment with
wholesome and uplifting ones can help to keep our thoughts pure and full
of light.
You might be surprised at how a simple awareness of
what images you allow or don’t allow will give you more peace and a
sense of steadiness in your heart.
Today, think about the many
images that you see in a given day. Then, just for fun, get a piece of
paper and a red and green marker. All morning, pay attention to what you
are seeing. If it is an image you should filter out, make a red mark.
If it is a good image, make a green mark. Then, during lunch, take
stock. Are there too many red marks? What can you do about it? How can
you make your eyes as clear as possible?
“Lord, help me to guard my eyes and turn my heart to you.”
Taken from wau.org
