15 June 2016
Wednesday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Green.
2 Kgs 2:1, 6 – 14 / Mt 6:1 – 6, 16 – 18
Gospel Reading: Mt 6: 1- 6, 16 – 18
Jesus said, "Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full.
"If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what you right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.
"When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you. . . .
"When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you."
Reflection
The Gospel reading is part of the collection of teachings of Jesus put together by St. Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus tells us that we are to perform our acts of charity, our acts of penance such as fasting and our prayer not for show before people, but done in secret so that no one knows but our heavenly Father who will then reward us.
We should not do acts of charity in public so that others will praise us nor pray in the sight of all so that all may see us nor parade our fasting and acts of penance so others may know we are doing penance. If we do so, we would "have already been paid in full." What is much more important is that we are rewarded not by the praise and recognition of people but we are rewarded by our heavenly Father.
It is very significant to note how many times in the Gospel reading Jesus mentions our heavenly Father, "your Father," "who sees what is kept secret [and who] will reward you." We pray for this familiarity with and abiding confidence and trust in our heavenly Father.
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
Jordan A. Obamos
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Wilfred Lim & Edna Lim
IN MEMORIAM (+)
Cipriano Lu
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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