A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (6:1-6, 16-18)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
REFLECTION: In today’s age of social media, people love to post selfies or photos of them, doing this or that, for the world to see. These photos, sometimes include their charitable activities. And that’s not all, they even check their posts, to see the number of “likes” or the most favorable reactions they are getting, perhaps to satisfy their own ego. In politics, you see similar actions. Some politicians and celebrities are notorious, for showing their activities, including almsgiving and praying.
Some who give alms, with media and journalists nearby, have two ready excuses. First, they say, they do it for transparency purposes, especially, that the goods they give are donated. There is a saying that says, “if you don’t take a photo and post it, it did not happen.” Second, they call it, an example for others to follow.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus warns us three times, that those who give alms, pray or fast publicly, will not be rewarded, because the praise they receive from the public, is already enough reward for them. He urges us instead, to do it in secret, “And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
Dear brothers and sisters, we need to check our motivation, if we give alms or pray, just to let the public know about it and thereby boost our ego. If we do it with that intention, we fall under the warning of Jesus, in today’s Gospel. Therefore, any acolytes we get from people, for doing good, should always be offered in praise and thanksgiving, to our heavenly Father, and it should never be done, to inflate our ego.
A devout follower of Jesus is supposed to engage, in the regular activities of praying, fasting, and almsgiving. These are spiritual obligations that we do, in order to deepen our relationship with God, and give Him ALL the glory that is due to Him. We pray and fast, in order to seek the attention of God, not public reward. We give alms to the poor, because we are taught to be compassionate, not to gain the praise of men. When we do these activities, with the proper motivation, then God will surely reward us, not only in heaven, but also in the present life. This is the kind of piety that is required, as a true follower of Jesus Christ.
In a 2013 homily by Pope Emeritus Francis, he explained the three pillars, Almsgiving, Prayer and Fasting, in the simplest way, he said; “It is not about mere external rites, these must be actions expressing the renewal of our hearts.”
ACTION FOR THE DAY: Take time today from the business of your day, to meditate in secret, on today’s Gospel, with a self-examination, on the way you pray in Church, and in other public areas, where others may see you. Then, examine if your fast is properly done, and only for the Glory of God. And finish your meditation, thanking God, with your own words, for blessing you and giving you the opportunity, to be a blessing to others, especially those, who have less in life.
AUDIO REFLECTION:
