Breaking the Word

"(But) 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 be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. (Mt 6:1-6,16-18)

Giving alms should not be made public (should not be heard that is trumpeted) and it should not be seen (not in market places and in synagogues). In the ancient world anything of importance was announced through trumpeting. Trumpeting fore warned what was to happen. Synagogues and market places were places where people gathered. Jesus asks his disciples to avoid the places of gathering and the situations of importance. There is need for secrecy.

Prayer also should not be done in places where the public gather. Prayer is not a spectacle to be seen by spectators. Praying is a mystery. It is an expression of and a revelation of relationship between God and the one who does the praying. No words; no places; no length of time should control the prayer. It is done in secret.

Do not go for appearances or do not do appearances. External appearances are in no way reveal what is going on inside the mind of the person. Internal attitudes and internal feelings should be seen on the face of the person. Even a religious act should in no way be made to be seen by the others. It is hidden.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt 5:43-48)

Jesus quotes the Bible. ('You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'). But Bible does not say that you have to hate your enemies. What Jesus wants to communicate here is that one should be ready to even beyond the scriptures to love and relate to people. Rules, regulations and scriptures are important. But one should go beyond all these when one to face another person.

If one wants to be a child of God one has to go beyond the limits of friends, enemies etc. Persons should not be put into categories. People are beyond all groups and categories. Persons are only to be loved and related with. In relating to people the only model is God the father. As the father sends rain on the good and the bad so also should the followers of Jesus be.

If one relates to people keeping in mind categories then he is like a tax collector and a pagan, in the sense he is not the child of God. In the context of today’s reading being perfect is like being god the father who does not have any distinction and does not have any differences among people.