“Doing away with the ‘gadgets of our self-wills’ and beginning to really re-charge ourselves with doing God’s Will!”
(Based on 2 Cor 9:6-11 and Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 – Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)
A newspaper carried a news story about a young couple who seemed particularly devoted in their worship.
The priest at the Cathedral reported that the pair spent an hour or more on a regular basis…
… sitting before a statue of the Virgin Mary.
But shockingly…
… it turned out, that they were not really praying!
This young couple was recharging their cell phone!
They had noticed a stray electric cable sticking out of the wall…
… behind the statue of the Virgin Mary.
Whenever their phone’s power supply dwindled, the young couple came to the church and re-charged it!
Well…
What looked like an act of piety, was actually a self-serving ploy!
Maybe, we are much shocked by this act…
How about us?
Do we indulge ourselves into similar acts?
… claiming to be praying – but without true devotion or only for “transient gains and desires”
… claiming to be abstaining – but without a sense of joy and reducing it to “an annual observance of an unconvinced pious act”
… claiming to be doing acts of piety – but perhaps, with selfish motives or as “popularity stunts”
Are we really re-charging ourselves?
… or are recharging the many “gadgets” of our self-will?
[Of course, it can be said, that God could use this ‘unintented time of devotion’ also as a time of blessing!]
The Gospel of the Day is a teaching by Jesus on the prime importance of restoring the “true intention in the acts of praying, fasting and almsgiving”…
… with a need to put on the vestment of humility and sincerity!
The Gospel Passage – Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18 – presents to us Jesus speaking of the three core practices that were essential pious practices of His time: ALMSGIVING, PRAYER and FASTING (PENANCE).
He invites us to perform these acts of piety with a “holy and sincere devotion”
With respect to almsgiving, Jesus says…
… “sound no trumpet” (Mt 6:2)
With respect to prayer, Jesus says…
… “shut the door and pray to your Father” (Mt 6:6)
With respect to fasting, Jesus says…
…”anoint your head and wash your face” (Mt 6:17)
It is interesting to note that these 3 practices refers to 3 dimensions of Love:
… towards God
… towards others
… towards oneself
- Prayer: Reminding ourselves to grow in the Immensity of God’s Love
2..Almsgiving: Reviving our basic duty of caring and being responsible to one another - Fasting: Rediscovering the worthiness of our lives and commit to grow in holiness
It’s high time we move from “prayering” – merely reciting words…
… to praying – words of love that arise from the heart!
It’s high time we move from “announcements” – throwing words of charity into the air…
… to almsgiving – charity that flows from the generosity of one’s heart!
It’s high time we move from “feasting” – indulging in self-pleasure…
… to fasting – self-discipline to help one to regulate one’s life!
Yes… we are called to give greater attention to “return to the basics”…
… restoring the “true intention in all our activities!”
Can we stop making our acts of piety as merely self-serving ploys?
Shall we do away with the “gadgets of our self-wills”
… and begin to really re-charge ourselves with doing God’s Will?”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment – The Family and the society
The exercise of authority is measured morally in terms of its divine origin, its reasonable nature and its specific object.
No one can command or establish what is contrary to the dignity of persons and the natural law. (CCC # 2235)
Reflection Capsules 