June 20, 2018 Wednesday
11th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading:2 Kgs 2: 1.6-14Gospel: Matthew 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 appearance 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)
The message of today’s Gospel reading is summarized in its first sentence.
We find the summary of today’s Gospel in its first sentence enjoining the disciples from the vice of hypocrisy. “Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people.” One good reason for this injunction is that hypocrites already receive their reward. So if you look forward to some rewards in the future do not look for models among the hypocrites. Following their example will rob you of your most deserved return-on-investment in heaven.
Hypocrites are out of place in God’s flock because the flock is a community of people who look forward to a reward in the future. This community is therefore a community of hope looking forward collectively to future recompense. The word reward used in today’s Gospel reading is a lose translation of the word “apecho” of the Greek version of the Bible. “Apecho” means a receipt for what has been paid in full.
Hypocrites are already paid in full by the accolade of people they take pleasure from. The bad news is that their receipt is an empty admiration of imperfect beings. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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