Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

In today’s reflection on the sermon, Jesus contrasts the way disciples are called to perform certain actions from those who perform actions either to be seen or those who perform actions out of insecurity and fear. Three actions are the focus of attention: prayer (relationship with God), almsgiving (relationship with others), fasting (relationship with self). Even though it is only three areas that are mentioned here, the supposition is that every aspect of the disciple’s life will be different from those of those who are not disciples. Not only are the actions (prayer, almsgiving and fasting) contrasted in the way they are performed but the reward for performing these actions is contrasted. When Jesus uses the word “reward” in relation to the how the pagans or hypocrites pray, gives alms or fast, he uses the Greek word apecho. This is equivalent of a receipt we would receive for a purchase at a store. They have already received the reward.

On the contrary, when a disciple should perform these actions the reward is best left to the goodwill of the Father in heaven. And surely the reward of the Father (because the Father is God) will be beyond the imagination of people who can only reward us with their esteem. However, it takes a certain amount of trust to believe that the intangible reward of the Father is greater than the tangible result one can receive on earth. Human beings are so tempted to live in the here and now that esteem, prestige, regard in the eyes of people can sometimes seem to be more desirable than God’s reward.

In this sense, this section of the sermon is not really about actions – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. But rather, it is about relationships. We are being lead to evaluate the quality of our relationship with God, others, and self. When we pray our focus must be God and not our own self. When we give alms, our focus must be the need of the person, not us. When we fast, our focus must be our need for God rather than the reward. This is lesson we learn in today’s first reading where Elisha is seen asking for a double portion of the Holy Spirit to fulfill his prophetic ministry. His focus is constantly on his mission rather than on his own selfish needs. And for this he was rewarded by God with double portion of the Holy Spirit.

Today, let us spend a little time in quiet prayer, perform an act of charity, and do an act of penance not for what we can get out of it, but rather, to express our love for God, for others and our for our own growth in humility. And let us leave the reward to the Father.