Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 9

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to fight the good fight in the daily battle of prayer. Help me to banish greed from my heart so that I may care for the poor around me. Help me to overcome my sinful tendencies so that I may be docile to the inspirations of your Holy Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Wages for Secret Almsgiving: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus identifies three ways we can earn heavenly wages and store up heavenly treasure. Earlier in the Sermon, Jesus pointed out that the righteousness of the Pharisees was insufficient to enter into the Kingdom of the Heavens. Here, he fleshes this out by contrasting how hypocrites do pious deeds and how his followers ought to do them. When the hypocrites give alms, they want everyone to know about it. They give, not so much to help the poor and alleviate their misfortune, but to win the praise of others. And that is their reward or wage. Human praise is what they seek, and that is what they get. By contrast, when the disciples of Christ give alms, they are to do so quietly and in secret. There is no need for a trumpet to announce their gift. There is no need to make sure the coins clang loudly in the Temple receptacles. The followers of Christ are not to seek human praise but divine glory. And the Father, who sees these actions of almsgiving done in secret, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.

2. Wages for Private Prayer: When the hypocrites pray, they want everyone to know about it. They pray, not to enter into communion with the Lord, but to be seen by others. They do not wake up early in the morning and go to the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13; Luke 5:16), climb the mountain, or enter the cloud to pray (Luke 9:28). Instead, the hypocrites wait until the synagogue is full on Sabbath or the marketplace is full of people, and there they make their loud prayer. Like the prayer of the Pharisee in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 18:9-14), it is not really a prayer made to God but to themselves. They are showing off that they can make eloquent discourses about pious things, but, in truth, they haven’t even taken the first step in prayer. Prayer begins not in the mind that thinks up interesting and eloquent things to say aloud, but in the depths of a humble, contrite heart moved by divine grace. And the Father who sees the disciple of his Son praying in this way, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.

3. Wages for Hidden Fasting: When the hypocrites fast, they want everyone to know about it. It is more like going on a diet and wanting everyone to know how much weight you lost, rather than giving up something good, like food, and making a sacrificial offering to God. The hypocrite receives their reward from others, who say things like, “How good you look!” “How good you are!” “You have such will-power!” and “I wish I could be like you!” The follower of Christ fasts not because they want human praise, but because they know this will strengthen them to resist the temptation of disordered pleasure in the future. Fasting, in the 21^st Century, takes many forms, such as fasting from certain foods, dessert, alcohol, shopping, gaming, complaining, and social media. And the Father, who sees this hidden fasting, will compensate us, both in this life and the next.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the New Moses who brings the law to fulfillment. You are the New Elisha who performs mighty deeds and cares for the poor. Teach me by your word and example to love the Father above all things and my neighbor as myself.

Living the Word of God: How have I been living the three righteous deeds announced by Jesus? What have I given to the poor recently? How is my life of prayer? What good things am I sacrificing in secret?