Your almsgiving may be secret

Jl 2,12-18; Ps 50; 2 Cor 5,20- 6,2; Mt 6,1-6.16-18
6 MARCH

Jesus did everything for the glory of the Father. He manifested the light, truth, mercy, justice, forgiveness and holiness of the Father. The whole life of Jesus is consecrated to give to the Father the greatest glory. Being the Christian, the body of Christ, he cannot but live to give glory to Christ. By giving glory to Christ, he gives glory to the Father, in the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul wants all of us to be always a hymn to the glory of God.

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves; let each of us please our neighbour for the good, for building up. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you fall upon me.” For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy (Rm 15,1-9).

“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 neighbour. 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).

Jesus asks his disciples that they do nothing for their ephemeral and foolish glory. Everything must be done for an eternal reward that comes from God, on condition that all our works are done for the Father and not for us. How do we know that the works are done for the Lord? Making them in secret, without anyone seeing them.

“(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.

For the glory of God to be manifested, the disciple of Jesus is also called to sacrifice his science. The disciple must renounce to all, if he wants the glory of the Lord to be illuminated with his life with an ever greater light. What is the gain of all this? A glory without measure in the holy skies and in his eternal kingdom.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, help us so that everything in us may is at the service of the glory of God.