Gospel reading: Matthew 6.1-6,16-18
[Jesus said] ‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.‘
Reflections
‘Whenever’ is an expansive word: ‘whenever you give alms’, ‘whenever you pray’, ‘whenever you fast’… These are not just a one-off actions but activities and encounters to be returned to again and again and again.
‘Whenever’ says that Jesus has expectations of his listeners gathered on the mount. In writing down the sermon, Matthew places expectations on his readers following the way. I feel the expectations laid on me: to give alms, to pray and to fast. Two I manage to a certain extent, but fail on the third.
And ‘Whenever’ says that God will always be there, ready to receive the alms, to hear and respond to the prayer, to honour the intention of the fast. God is waiting on me, looking on me in love and truly seeing me. God values the good intentions of my heart, seeing in secret what might be hidden even from me as I give or pray!
This evening I went into my room, shut the door, opened up Zoom on my laptop in order to host the Lectio meeting, and prayed to God who is in secret. And God saw in secret and invited me to rest in love – my reward.
-oOo-
Since April 2020, I have been jointly hosting a shared Lectio Divina group on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. These are my reflections only, during the prayer session and as I wrote them up. Please see my separate commentary and leaflet for more information about shared Lectio.