Fr Kevin Kilgore

***

Gospel: Matthew 6: 7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

Prayer is essential to the life of a disciple. But sometimes we don’t know how to pray… or what to say. Let me share what I prayed this morning: 

“I thank you, Father, that I’ve not been greedy; I’ve not been selfish; I’ve not been rude to my neighbor; I’ve not spoken ill of anyone; I’ve not coveted what isn’t mine.”

“But now I must get out bed!”

(I’m only kidding).

***

I’m sure we all start the day with good intentions, but they become harder to keep once we put our feet on the floor, which is why Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer. It contains every petition we need to live holy lives.

We all know it, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” 

It’s something we’ve said thousands of times, but by virtue of routine, may take it for granted. 

Still, it’s quite profound.

Consider the final two petitions – “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

If every Christian who prayed those words took them seriously, then our world would be a very different place. We’d have a society rooted in the virtues of love and forgiveness, with people constantly striving to be better versions of themselves.

***

“I thank you, Father, that I’ve not been greedy. I’ve not been selfish; I’ve not been rude to my neighbor; I’ve not spoken ill of anyone; I’ve not coveted what isn’t mine.”

“But now I must get out bed!”

As we recite the Lord’s Prayer this morning, may we mean what we say – “give us this day, our daily bread… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us… and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”

***

***

Image credits: (1) Prayers and Bible Verses (2) The Street (3) The Globe and Mail

***

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.

***

***

Jesus’ words were scandalous when he spoke them, because he accuses the scribes and Pharisees of being “hypocrites.” 

Phonies.

Originally, a “hypocrite” referred to someone who wore a mask. So, he’s telling these men that they’re like actors on a stage. 

Their real identity – an ugly one at that – is concealed by their overflowing robes and fluency of rules.

***

Unfortunately, there always will be people like the scribes and Pharisees, who use religion as a cloak. They appear holy on the outside, but are defiled – unclean – within.

***

That is not us.

We’ve gathered here this morning because we want to love and serve the Lord. We want to be holy. So, what does this Gospel have to do with us?

There’s always the temptation to become comfortable with religion, to reach a point where we no longer change within.

Perhaps our prayers have become rote; we say the words without attaching our hearts to them. Or we stop the Spirit from inching us out of our comfort zones. Or we slow our efforts at charity.

But faith is meant to stretch us; to challenge us to love more; to serve longer; to pray harder; to live more humbly; to resist becoming complacent in our relationship with God.

“Do not be like the hypocrites,” Jesus says. Allow the Holy Spirit to stretch you a little more today.

***

***

Image credits: (1) Adobe Stock, Hypocrite Images (2) Embracing Brokenness Ministries (3) City of Liberty International Church

***

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
    You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

If you have ever played a video game, then you know that there is always a series of levels. 

The first level is the easiest, and the final level is the most difficult.

Sometimes it takes multiple tries before you succeed in beating that final level… but if you do, then you’ve mastered the game.

***

If Christianity were likened to a video game, then today’s Gospel would be the final level: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. 

If you can freely do this, then you’ve mastered Christianity. 

Have I mastered Christianity?

***

Most of us likely have not. There are some mountains too tall for us to climb, humanly speaking. Forgiving those who’ve hurt us can be one of them. But with God, all things are possible.

***

Perhaps one of the most difficult places to live it out this teaching is within our own homes. Can we strive for peace today, by choosing mercy over anger, love over resentment?

This is how the game is mastered, so to speak, by praying for the grace to put our faith into practice one day, one relationship at a time.

***

***

Image credits: (1) Orthodox Christianity (2) Jewish Link (3) BRC Recovery