“My Eyes Are Ever Toward the Lord.”
Just like many other Sundays throughout the Church year, the Third Sunday in Lent is named after the first words of the introit for the day. Oculi, Latin for “eyes,” specifically refers to the eyes of faith that we have been given by God—eyes that see the things of God that pertain to our life and salvation. As the introit states, repeating the lines of the Psalmist, “my eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.”
Smack dab in the middle of the Lent, Oculi falls at the halfway point of the Sundays in the season. When it comes around every year, Christians are in the heat of their fasting, prayer, and almsgiving activities. While these practices are meant to build up faith and to challenge us to better focus on God and his Word, there is no doubt that they (and Lent in general) can just feel like part of a larger, extremely long and arduous journey that gives few moments of respite. We are tired, and our Lent is nowhere near over.
Thus it is quite apropos that Oculi is the Sunday when we hear these words from Psalm 25, reminding us that no matter what, our eyes must remain on the Lord. After all, he is the one who “rescues us, who protects us, and keeps us safe from the dangers and harm of the evil one.”
Just as the First Sunday in Lent, Invocabit, gives us the fall of man and the temptation of our Lord as topics for meditation, Oculi focuses on the inward and outward spiritual battles that have to be fought. On Oculi, we hear from Scripture that great sacrifices are demanded of Christians and that Jesus calls up to give up everything including the world, honor, possessions, enjoyment, and pleasure. The propers for the day emphasize these themes, concentrating on the “walk” of the Christian and focusing on the relentlessness of the enemy’s opposition in the words of the Holy Gospel from Luke 11. It is clear, both from Scripture and our own experiences here on earth, that we can not fight these battles alone.
Within these themes, we also find a tie to Oculi’s history of being the day for catechumens to stand in front of the Church with their confession of faith. The rest of the words of the introit and the entirety of the collect especially ring true as personal prayers, meant for those who are ready to walk as children of the heavenly light no matter what will come in the future. The words that are spoken are those of faith, aware that we can not go about it alone and that we are ever dependent on the Lord.
Along with new catechumens seasoned Christians can join in the prayers: “Turn Thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in Thee; let me not be ashamed.” “We beseech Thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to be our defense against all our enemies.”
A Brief History
Like all of the Sundays of Gesimatide and Lent, Oculi has long been celebrated by the Church, stretching back to at least the sixth century. As mentioned in our material for Invocabit, which is the First Sunday in Lent, this Church season is particularly rich with historic traditions and customs. Fasting, prayer, and almsgiving stretch back to the time of the Apostles.
Oculi is no different from the other Sundays in Lent insofar as these practices are continually emphasized and would have been observed by most Christians throughout history. However Oculi is unique insofar as its placement at the middle point of the Lenten season means that the newness of these activities during this time of the Church year has now worn off and one’s motivation to continue his pious observance of the season is now truly being put to the test.
Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God: that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Lessons
Resources
Issues, Etc. interview with the Rev. David Petersen on Oculi
Propers found in Daily Divine Service Book: A Lutheran Daily Missal, edited by the Rev. Heath Curtis
References:
1. Lindemann, the Rev. Fred H. The Sermon and The Propers, Volume II: Pre-Lent to Pentecost. Concordia Publishing House. 1958.
2. Voege, Kenneth. Third Sunday in Lent—Oculi. 2016.
Images:
1. Christ heals a possessed man in the synagogue, Gilliam van der Gouwen, after Bernard Picart, Netherlands, 1728.
2. Exorcising the blind and mute man, James Tissot, France, late 19th century.
Some links might be affiliate links which means we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
[…] Oculi marks the middle of the Lenten season and is a Sunday when we are encouraged to turn our eyes toward our Lord, who defends us in all of our trials and temptations. In doing so, we can continue confidently in our walk as Christians, following the way of the Lord. […]