And your Father who sees in secret will repay you

13 FEBRUARY (Mt 6,1-6.16-18)

St. Paul gives to the disciples of Jesus a universal principle so that a deed good in itself is also good before God. This principle is very simple and everyone can apply it. It requires no particulate intelligence or wisdom: everything must be done for the glory of God to shine on our earth. The Christian, through his everyday ordinary life must be the singer of the glory of his Lord. What is not needed for the glory of God, is not even needed by him. It must not be done.

“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor. Eat anything sold in the market, without raising questions on grounds of conscience, for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.” If an unbeliever invites you and you want to go, eat whatever is placed before you, without raising questions on grounds of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This was offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it on account of the one who called attention to it and on account of conscience; I mean not your own conscience, but the other’s. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake thankfully, why am I reviled for that over which I give thanks? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. (1Cor 10,23-33).

The disciple of Jesus lives a daily, ordinary life, rich in traditions, customs, ways of being and operating. Jesus does not destroy the everyday life. If you destroy a form, a mode, a tradition in their place a thousand will arise, because man cannot live without daily routine, without relations with his body and with his brothers. He gives instead the rule so that everything is done right according to God, no matter what one does. All that is good in itself can be done.

Prayer is a personal, intimate relationship with our God. Only the soul and God must enter this relationship. No one else must be involved. The prayer is the most intimate relationship that exists in all creation, more intimate than any other that we feel to be intimate and that is lived far from any prying eye. The same applies for almsgiving and fasting. The other must not even know that we pray, that we give alms and that we fast. Only God must see and no one else. Secrecy is the goodness of the work that you do. The non secrecy transform every good work into a bad work.

“(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.

It is not things that need to be changed, modified, transformed. heart, intentions and thoughts are what must be changed. Everything must be lived in the greatest humility. Humility is secrecy, concealment, privacy of the very good work that is accomplished.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints teach us the great humility.