June 19, 2013
Wednesday
11th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Cor 9:6–11
Gospel: Mt 6:1–6, 16–18
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people.
I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.
“When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
Television Medical Journalist Michael Mosley and Journalist Mimi Spencer had introduced this much-talked-about dieting scheme throughout Great Britain in their book entitled “The Fast Diet”. This allows figure-conscious people to eat voraciously for five days but binds them to a meager 600 calorie intake for the remaining two days of the week (Inquirer, 18 June 2013). This and most of the diet strategies known to date are primarily either for health or for mundane reasons. Do people still fast for their souls?
The Book of Leviticus required all Jews to fast during their so-called Day of Atonement. “By everlasting ordinance, it shall be a most solemn Sabbath for you, on which you must mortify yourselves.” (Lev. 16:31). This was actually the only fast Moses prescribed but overzealous Jews began fasting twice a week. The Pharisees further exaggerated the practice but for the more mundane reasons of flaunting their holiness and winning the admiration of the public.
Whether we do it for health or for vanity, it will really be worth all the sacrifices if we fast in a manner that disposes our souls to pray to God and to be charitable to our neighbors. Anyway, the good figure and the admiration of the religious community will follow as a matter of course. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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