The Eyes of the Lord: God's presence and His guidance
April 13, 2024 - Saturday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; John 6:16-21
In the Acts of the Apostles, the young Christian community of Jerusalem faces its first major problem: inequality. The Hellenistic widows feel neglected compared to the Hebrew widows. In the Gospel, the disciples are facing the rough seas and strong winds, and Jesus is not with them. In between, we hear the proclamation of the psalmist that "the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine" (Psalm 33:18-19).
Hellenistic widows would have been Jewish women growing up outside of the land of Israel who spoke Greek and were influenced by Greco-Roman culture and customs. Hebrew widows, on the other hand, would have been Jewish women from the traditional Hebrew or Aramaic-speaking Jewish community, likely residing in or near Jerusalem. Within the local Jewish community, Hellenistic widows may have faced challenges due to cultural and linguistic differences, as well as potential discrimination or neglect.
The Sea of Galilee is pear-shaped, with a surface area of 166 square km and a maximum depth of 48 meters. During the time of Jesus, it was also known as the Sea of Tiberias in honor of the emperor of Rome under whose reign Jesus was crucified. At that time, the Roman Empire was vast and powerful, and Tiberias was considered to be divine. Today, it is gone and Jesus Christ, crucified by the empire, is alive and reigns over uncountable multitude of those who confess him the Lord.
The phrase "the eyes of the Lord" is a metaphor for God's infinite knowledge. In the second book of Chronicles, we read that “the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). And the book of Proverbs teaches that “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). Nothing and no one can escape the penetrating gaze of those eyes (Hebrews 4:13).
"The eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine" (Psalm 33:18-19). In today's Gospel, Jesus brings the disciples safely to the shores of Capernaum, and in the Acts of the Apostles, the Twelve solve the problem of food distribution by electing seven deacons. The metaphor of "the eyes of the Lord" also describes God's compassion. Both the apostles and the widows experienced God's mercy.
The liturgy of the Word calls us to trust in God's presence in life. The readings also invite us to create an alternative community where the needs of everyone are met. In following the example of the early Christian community and heeding the call to trust in God's providence, may we continue to build a world where love reigns supreme, justice prevails, and the light of divine grace illuminates our path forward.