“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…” Ephesians 1:18
“Eyes of your heart may be enlightened” … physicians in ancient times believed that the eye had a source of light within it, perhaps because of the way the eye reflects light outward.
In biblical language, the heart is the seat of thought and will (not emotions). The light is God’s realm. Apart from Christ, people are “darkened in their understanding”, but through Baptism, they are brought into the light. Early Christians spoke of Baptism as enlightenment.
An early church leader wrote, “This washing [Baptism] is called illumination, because those who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings”.
“Inheritance” … in the Greco-Roman world, only sons could inherit (Gal 4:7). Some men ignored their natural children and declared an adopted son as heir. To be adopted by God is to be reborn into His family, made heirs of His kingdom. This happens in Baptism, when we are all made “sons” (broad term meaning men and women, heirs) of God through His Son, Jesus.
“Saints” literally means “holy ones,” as God makes us through Holy Baptism.
God’s blessings on your day…