Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 6:22

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

And as they that are in darkness see nothing distinct, but if they look at a rope, they suppose it to be a serpent, if at mountains and ravines, they are dead with fear; so these also: what is not alarming to them that have sight, that they regard with suspicion. Thus among other things they tremble at poverty: or rather not at poverty only, but even at any trifling loss. Yea, and if they should lose some little matter, those who are in want of necessary food do not so grieve and bewail themselves as they. …

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 20 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"The eye is the lamp of the body: if therefore thine eye be sound, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." This means, if you fill your mind with worries over money, you have extinguished the lamp and darkened your soul. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Otherwise; by the eye here we may understand our purpose; if that be pure and right, all our works which we work according thereto are good. These He here calls the body, as the Apostle speaks of certain works as members; Mortify your members, fornication and uncleanness. (Col. 3:5.) We should look then, not to what a person does, but with what mind he does it. For this is the light within us, because by this we see that we do with good intention what we do. For all which doth make manifest is light. (Eph. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Jerome

If your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Those with failing eyesight often see many lights: a sound and pure eye perceives only one light. This can be transferred to the realm of perception. For just as the whole body is in darkness if the eye is not sound, so the soul, if it has lost its primary light, will abide in darkness in all its senses. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

Otherwise; if the light that is in thee, that is, if what we have begun to do well, we overcloud with evil purpose, when we do things which we know to be in themselves evil, how great is the darkness!

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗