11th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 16th June 2021 — Gospel: Mt 6,1-6.16-18
Devotion of the Heart
The true righteousness of the kingdom must be applied in the everyday activities of life. Jesus then offers three specific areas of practical righteousness in an individual’s life: giving alms to the poor, praying, and fasting. These three acts were important disciplines in the religion of the Pharisees. Jesus did not condemn these practices, but He did caution his followers to make sure that our hearts are right as we practice them. Instead, the righteousness of the Pharisees was insincere and dishonest. The Pharisees used almsgiving for wrong motives. No amount of giving can purchase salvation, for salvation is the gift of God (Ep 2,8-9). And to live for the praise of men is a foolish thing because the glory of man does not last (1 Pet 1,24). It is the glory and praise of God that really counts. It is not wrong to pray in public in the assembly (1 Tim 2,1ff), or even when blessing food (Jn 6,11) or seeking God’s help (Jn 11,41-42; Acts 27,35). But it is wrong to pray in public if we are not in the habit of praying in private. It is not wrong to fast, if we do it in the right way and with the right motive. Fasting helps to discipline the appetites of the body (Lk 21,34) and keep our spiritual priorities straight. But fasting must never become an opportunity for temptation (1 Cor 7,7). Simply depriving ourselves of a natural benefit is not itself fasting. We must devote ourselves to God and worship Him. In all these practices, unless there is the devotion of the heart there is no lasting spiritual benefit.
