Word to the Wise
Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - Wednesday in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 and Matt 6:1-6, 16-18]"Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.."
Many years ago a student parishioner told me that people expected two things from a priest: "Recognition and short sermons!" I try to do the best I can with both. The moment I dread the most at a parish mission or retreat is when I give thanks to all who help out with the event because I fear leaving someone out! People do appreciate being recognized for the good that they do. [And there are, unfortunately, some who want to be recognized for the terror they spread.] Universities and hospitals and parish churches are good places to find the names of benefactors prominently displayed on anything from a brick in a courtyard to an entire building!
Jesus warns about doing good deeds IN ORDER THAT PEOPLE will see them. He cites three forms of pious behavior that were popular in Judaism at the time: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. It is not the behavior itself that is the problem, but the motive. It is divine attention that matters and not public attention. The scribes and Pharisees were fond of personal publicity. Jesus instructs his disciples [and us, too] that the whole purpose of Christian life is not to gain praise but to proclaim the Kingdom of heaven. If we pray, give alms and fast in order that others will recognize us, we are merely being proud and selfish at the expense of proclaiming the gospel.
What about Jesus' earlier point about not hiding one's light under a bushel basket and being salt of the earth [Mt. 5:14-16]? There we see Jesus praising good deeds that glorify God. There is a big difference in the motivations. As always, the Sermon on the Mount challenges us to integrity of purpose as well as deeds. AMEN