One of the most beautiful spiritual gifts of working in memory care is that I truly get to practice today’s gospel in real life. “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.” My sweethearts live in the present moment and because of that so do I. At first this used to mess with my heart and my head and I wondered if anything I did was even relevant or useful or significant to them in any way. I mean if they can’t remember it then what’s the point? I placed more value on remembrance than on the act of love itself. Within one week of my entering the beautiful world of dementia care, the scales fell from my eyes and Jesus could finally start teaching me the importance of, “And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” My vocation is to pour love, care, recreation, and engagement into the one in front of me and that has nothing to do with me being seen doing it. We live moment-by-moment and being remembered for my efforts is not even an option and thank God because it makes serving them all the lovelier. The hiddenness of my service takes the pressure to perform off and my desire to love Jesus in them increases exponentially.
There’s a song I love that captures the beauty of being “seen in secret”, “Your love is extravagant, your friendship so intimate. I find I’m moving to the rhythm of your grace, your fragrance is intoxicating in our secret place. Your love is extravagant.” There is something about a secret place with God that intoxicates our being in such a way that we pour it out extravagantly because we know His extravagant love for us.
Today’s gospel focuses on some important spiritual habits that can be the fuel we need to practice what we preach, and on the flip side, when practiced under the umbrella of pride, these habits, can actually stunt our spiritual maturity/growth. Prayer, fasting, and alms giving are amazing acts of faith, hope, and charity, however, when we put on a show with any or all of them so that others will be impressed or jealous or made to feel less than, then these good things turn into a form of idolatry. God wants us to do these things because we love Him first and wholeheartedly and in that love we desire to show gratitude, faith, sacrifice, and charity without expecting anything in return. This is the hard part because we all just want to be loved back don’t we? We want to show the world that we are faithful people.
God wants a private showing if you will. He wants our undivided attention, our undivided heart, and our undivided praise. This can only be done one on one, in secret. “Lovers find secret places inside this violent world where they make transactions with beauty.” (Rumi) These whispered secrets between us and the Beloved are the transactions with beauty that give us the grace to grow deeper so that we can stand firmly planted in the storms of life. These heart to hearts with our Creator are the wind in our sails and the breath in our lungs. These intimate and personal exchanges with the Lover of our soul are the stardust in our DNA and the handprints on our hearts. These sweet nothings shared in private with our Good Good Father are the drops of Jesus in our empty chalice. When we meet God eyelash to eyelash in the privacy of our soul, we let Him see us, as we are, His favored work of art. When we truly believe in that favor, we will shine naturally, and others will see and know that we belong to Him.
I wish you many secret transactions with beauty this week. It is well with my soul.
Reading 1 2 COR 9:6-11
Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God.
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 112:1BC-2, 3-4, 9
R.(1b) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia JN 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
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