Word to the Wise
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - 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." [Matthew]
At first glance today's class in Christianity 101 appears to contradict an earlier class that exhorted us to let our light "shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." However, Jesus points out that the problem is not with the "righteous deed" but with the intention that motivates it. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is unacceptable. Integrity requires that motivation and deed be connected as cause and effect. The examples given in the text include almsgiving, prayer and fasting. These are all good things to do and were considered traditional acts of piety in Jesus' time. But when they are done for the purpose of drawing praise, they lose their integrity.
The usual homework of an examination of conscience can challenge us to check our motives for pious behavior and aim for integrity. AMEN