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Gospel: 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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After the conclusion of World War Two, the novelist Godfrey Winn interviewed a British surgeon who gave up his private practice during the war in order to remold the disfigured faces and limbs of Allied soldiers.
When asked why he gave up his practice – his livelihood – the surgeon replied, “It was an honor to do it.”
This surgeon was motivated by things the material world cannot give – love; honor; Christian duty.
He points to the essence of Christ’s teachings in today’s Gospel: it’s not what you do, as much as why you do it.
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Today Jesus speaks about three very good things: charity, prayer, and fasting. Things that are not only good for the human soul, but also pleasing to God…when done with the right intention.
For example, when giving alms, do it out of love, instead of a desire to seek human praise.
When we pray, pray with the desire to be heard, not to be seen or recognized by others.
When we fast, do so with a penitential heart, instead of seeking to trim our waist.
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Again, think of that British surgeon. What he did was objectively good, but what matters more to God is why he did it; he was motivated by love.
The same should be true for us when trying to live out our faith.
God, who sees beneath the surface, is not only interested in what we do today, but why we do it. May our motives always be driven by love.
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Image credits: (1) My Dental Agency (2) Open the Bible (3) Responsive Reiding, WordPress