Posted by The WORD in other words (2009) by Sister Isabel Angela Mejia SSpS – Manila
Wednesday 11th Week in Ordinary Time
When I started teaching, all Fridays of Lent were strictly observed as days of fasting. Back then, our school principal would remind us, “Teachers, today is Friday, day of fasting. Please do not eat your pupils.”
This is very typical of us when we feel the effects of fasting, we become cranky and easily irritated. We make other suffer from our fasting. We also make other know that we are fasting. Our Lord teach us, “Do not let others know that you are fasting, only your Father who is unseen will know.” (Matthew 6,18) We act in this way not only in fasting, but also in our religious duties and works of charities.
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are works meant to glorify God. If these are done for motives other than this, we deny God the honor, worse we claim it for ourselves. When we pray, fast, give alms, or do good deeds to honor God, we are not to expect anything in return like the praise and esteem of others. For it is better that “The Father who sees in secret will reward us.” (Matthew 6,6)
God only wants us to be good, holy and righteous, not to be showy and self-righteous. We must do good things whether others are watching or not, because God is watching and that is all that matters.
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