The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Devasagayam Savariyappan SVD – Abra
A well-known pastor in Berlin once boarded a double-decker bus, took a seat on the upper deck, opened his breviary, and began to pray. Hardly had he begun when a passenger behind him started making loud remarks for everyone to hear: “Look at this fellow! This great man of God climbs to the top of a bus, takes out his prayer book, and starts praying publicly so everyone can see him and think he is pious!”
The man continued: “When I say my prayers, I follow what Jesus says in Scripture — about closing the door and praying to God in private” (cf. Matthew 6:6). To which the pastor calmly replied: “And then you climb to the top of a bus and tell the whole world about it!”
At times, we go around trying to make others believe we are what we are not. As one spiritual writer said: “We are no more and no less than what we can claim to be before God Himself.” Too often, we crave honor and praise from others, making sure our actions are noticed. But Jesus’ message is clear: it is for God’s honor and glory that we live, not for human applause.
The book of Samuel reminds us: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Truth, honesty, and sincerity must be the foundation of our spiritual disciplines — almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (cf. Matthew 6:1–18).
This Gospel is an invitation to shun showing off, deception, and hypocrisy. Instead, we are called to live with purity of intention. The prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola beautifully summarizes this call:
“…to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that I do Your will, O God.”
