12:12 PM

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Ash Wedenesday, goodness and Matthew 6

Mister Nizz

Was hot, long, and standing room only. Anne and I went, as Gar needed some "me time" with his mom. Once again, I was struck by the beauty and significance of Matthew: 6


1 "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread;
12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors;
13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you;
15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."


How much of the good that we do, we do because we want to be seen doing good? We want people to like and admire and approve of us for doing it?

I'm not suggesting I'm holier than anyone-- I gave up my seat on the bus the other day to an elderly woman, who was properly thankful. I saw the women on the bus grinning somewhat embarassed by my old fashioned courtesy, out of place today I guess. That made me wonder if I gave the lady a seat because I felt bad about her standing or just wanted the ladies to think I was a nice guy.

It's always like that for me.. questioning my own motives as i do things. Like doing a ethical stutter-step... "is this the right thing to do, will I look like a show-off doing it?" etc.

I pray often. I am resolved to say the Rosary once a day during Lent. I've come up with a way of doing this without drawing attention to myself like the "Gentiles" mentioned above, but that's a story for another post-- I need to take pictures of how I hold my hands to tell this.