June 17
Our Lady of Victories
Weekday in Ordinary Time
Today's Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6,
16-18
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| Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. |
Jesus spoke of all three at
once: almsgiving,
prayer, and fasting. The three pillars of a devout Jewish life. The things every
serious believer was expected to do. And Jesus didn't question whether they
should be done. He questioned why they were being done and for whom.
When you give, don't announce
it with trumpets. When you pray, don't stand on the street corner performing
for an audience. When you fast, don't walk around looking miserable so everyone
knows you're suffering. Wash your face. Comb your hair. Go about your day.
And your Father who sees in
secret will reward you, only to your Father, the one who was already in the room before you.
The moment a holy act gets an
audience, it changes; it only becomes a performance. And a performance, however
beautiful, however moving, however sincerely intended, is not the same thing as
prayer. It is not the same thing as fasting. It is not the same thing as giving
from the heart. The audience changes everything. The Pharisees who prayed on
street corners weren't hypocrites. They were hypocrites because they had chosen
the wrong reward. Human applause and praise, and they got it. That was their
reward in full.
Our Lady never once performed
her holiness for a crowd. The Annunciation happened in a private room in
Nazareth. The birth happened in a cave. The flight to Egypt happened in the
dark of night. Thirty years of hidden life in a small town where nobody knew
who she was, raising or what it would cost her. She gave everything in secret
and let God be the only witness.
I'm not going to tell you
what I do in private with God. Not because I'm hiding something, but because
some things belong between my Lord and me. Jesus was very clear about this: " Your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Our private relationship with
Jesus is the one worth protecting. Build it, and deepen it, and protect it.
Share it with no one but Jesus.
Something to sit with today:
Do you have something between you and God that you've never told anyone, and are you protecting it the way it deserves to be protected?
My recommendation is to cultivate a private prayer life. Whether it's a set time in the morning, afternoon, or evening, or even while you're driving. There are countless opportunities throughout the day to spend time in prayer with the Lord. You can Pray The Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Stations of the Cross, and so many other prayers can easily become part of your daily routine. Maybe even the day’s Mass readings, which I love.
Most importantly, simply talk to Jesus. When you're walking or driving alone, speak to Him as you would a close friend. You may be surprised by how deep, personal, and beautiful that relationship with Him can become.
Rosary Man Jim 🌹
Freely given. Freely shared.
