17th JUNE. WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 11

READINGS

11.      2Corinthians 9:6-11(Reaping what we have sowed)

22.      Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6,16-18( be aware of practicing your piety in public)

REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS

The readings today call each one of us to be aware of self seeking glory. In the gospel Jesus singles out three fundamental works of religious life that is fasting, arms giving and prayer. In Jewish context, these in fact were seen as indicators of the pious person. A person who scrupulously observed these cardinal works of religious life was regarded as a pious person. However, Jesus is rising and putting this religious practice into a new perspective, that arms giving, prayer, and fasting are not done for one’s sake/ for one’s gratification, rather they are done for glorification of God. When we pray we do not do it to draw attention from people, we do pray because we glorify God.

To feel needy for constant approval is not psychological or spiritually healthy. Those who seek self gratification are always fundamentally insecure, they are so taken up with themselves with re-telling their own stories and acts giving an implication that they have little time for others, consequently they find it more difficult to converse with their fellow brothers and sisters as the result their friends drop off and keep off their distance. Jesus in this context is proposing a key approach in arms giving, prayer and fasting that all of these should be done in anonymity. “Not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing.” The underlying motive is that the acts of mercy should be done for the sake of basic human decency and not for the sake of self gratification; they should be done under the motivation of God’s will.

We are invited in these readings to respect both our dignity and the dignity of our brothers and sisters whenever we are in position to help them whether materially or spiritually.  In the Gospel Jesus says “be careful not to parade your good deeds before others to attract their notice.”(Mt 6:1) Yet in the same sermon, a little earlier, Jesus says “Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your father in heaven.”(Mt5:16) If we may compare the two verses we may have the impression that the two verses are contradicting each other. Yet, there is truth in both, in first place we are publicly to proclaim our faith, our relationship with the Lord by the lives that we live and the deeds that we do. Likewise, on the other hand, we don’t publicly trumpeting to people to take notice on what we do, to bring praise or glory on ourselves rather our public living of our faith is to give praise and glory to God and not to ourselves since whatever we have is from God. The question to ponder and reflect is that who is most honoured by my public living of my relation with the Lord? Is it myself or is it God? Or who is being served by my good deeds is it myself or is it the Lord? The opening petitions of Lord’s Prayer points to us the proper direction to follow “Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”