The Eyes of Passion, The Eyes of Resurrection
From a Seminar by
Rev. Fr. Stépanos Dingilian, Ph.D.
Rev. Fr. Stépanos Dingilian, Ph.D. © 2004
Christ gazed into the eyes of St. Peter, and that was enough for St. Peter to know his shortcomings, break down and cry. One sincere gaze into the eyes and a great deal can be said. We look into the eyes of our friends, family members, our spouse, and anyone with whom we expect to have a meaningful conversation. This truth is most striking when the eyes we gaze into are ours!
We spend a great deal of time in front of the mirror looking at ourselves – our hair, eyebrows, teeth, wrinkles, cloths, facial expressions …. When we pass in front of a mirror – be it at home, in the elevator, or in a corridor, – we slowdown and look at ourselves. These are natural and normal ways of making sure that we look our best. It makes sense for us to want to look our best on the outside so people will have a positive impression of us. But what about our inside? When was the last time we looked into our own person? When was the last time we paused and looked? When was the last time instead of gazing at our eyes, we looked into them! When was the last time we spent more time tidying up our inside rather than only outside? We know it … all we have to do is gaze into our eyes!
Admittedly, gazing into our eyes
may not be very easy. We may have to do only short intervals at a time. May be
it would be best if we did it with a supportive friend, or a person who can help
and guide us. The important thing is that we would not push ourselves …
rather be patient and without stress. The reason it may be difficult is because
these eyes have witnessed a great deal … a life that no one else has seen or
heard. These are special eyes … none like them in the universe … they see
the outer world and the inner one! They see the farthest visions and the
unreachable inner depths? What is the life that these eyes have witnessed? What
have they shared … and will keep secret forever? What is it that they want to
share … but have no one to share with? What are they hiding … and are they
worth hiding? These eyes form the bridge between good and evil, friend and foe,
past and future, you and I, Thou and I … these eyes are indeed special. No,
they cannot be stressed and coerced … rather they need to be gentle, truthful,
genuine, and inviting.
How do these eyes see God? How do they see Christ? If Christ was to gaze into them, what would he see, what would we hide from him, what would we do when he gazes … cry like St. Peter … by seeing everything we could have done differently … by discovering the times we crucified Christ with our own hands when we turned our back on what the Lord taught and asked us to do …
Is there another cross that we see next to the Lord’s … could it be a familiar one … could every fiber of that cross be an unfulfilled expectation of ours, of hypocrisy, betrayal, distrust …? Are there faithful persons standing next to that cross, and others taunting and ridiculing? Take a moment, listen more attentively, is there a voice coming from the cross? Does it say “Forgive them for they do not know what they do?” Can we let go of that paralyzing vengeance … for “Vengeance is for the Lord”? What more do we want … what more do we want to prove … to whom do we want to prove?
What do these eyes see? What is the cross they are gazing at? Has the Son been eclipsed … is there a ray of light, the glimmer of hope, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Counselor, the Resurrector, … The eyes have it all, the eyes of Passion, the eyes of Resurrection. Christ said it: “The eye is the light of the body!” Let us reach for that light, that eternal Light!