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.”
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Reflection:
What does Jesus teach us today? It’s about humility and modesty, keep
your every acts of piety in secret and don’t trumpet it to the whole wide world
including the world of social meadia for HE knows everything. But the world
that we are in now is influencing us to discard this teaching of Jesus and
embrace publicity and self-proclamation.
Just look at the many vehicles of publicity in the internet such as
facebook, instagram, twitter and the like. What are they dictating to us? It
dictates us to publicize almost everything that we do, including our acts of
piety.
Nothing’s wrong to embrace these social media platforms if we use it to
advance our advocacies with other motives but to help. Yet it becomes wrong
when we use it to proudly show to the whole wide world the good that we do.
Perhaps Jesus is telling us not to worry if nobody would notice our acts of
kindness and piety for HE knows it already.
What is important is we do everything for Jesus and for the greater good
of HIS people. It doesn’t matter anymore if we would be noticed or not if
people would compliment us or not. What is important is we know that we have a
God who knows everything including our unpublicized acts of love, charity and goodness.
– Marino J. Dasmarinas
