Reflection on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

 

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

 [Jesus said to the disciples:] ¹“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
  ²“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
  ⁵“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
  ¹⁶“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
  ¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Reflection

Do you want to know something that can be considered simply dust?  Do you want to know what will blow away with the wind?  Being fake.  When Jesus calls people hypocrites, he does not quite mean what we mean when we say it today.  Being a hypocrite to us means “saying one thing and doing another.”  But, in Jesus’ time, it simply meant: “acting” or “pretending” for a dishonest reason.  In other words, what is truly dust, what is truly empty of true meaning and dignity is being “fake,” a “phony,” “capping” or “lying,” “putting on an act,” or being a “poser.”  Being fake.

When a person or community makes certain that their generosity is seen by others, “so that they may be praised by others,” Jesus points out that their generosity is not truly about helping a neighbor in need (Matthew 6:2).  Rather, it is about how the person looks to others when giving.  It is more about reputation than it is helping.  And, Jesus would have us know that being a fake is nothing but dust.  Once it blows away, there is nothing left that is of value. 

Do you want a test, to see whether your generosity is simply dust?  Ask yourself, “Do I care if I get a thank you?”  If you do, then your love of neighbor is fake; nothing but a show; nothing but dust.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

When a person or community prays in public spaces with fancy words, “so that they may be seen by others;”  so that everyone can hear how devout and eloquent they are in prayer; so everyone can see just how close they are to God, Jesus teaches that their prayers are not about talking to God at all (Matthew 6:5).  Rather, it is about how they look when praying.  And, Jesus would have us know that being a fake is nothing but dust.  Once it blows away, there is nothing left that is of value. 

Do you want a test, to see whether your prayer life is simply dust?  Ask yourself, “Do I care if others hear my prayer and do I care what others think concerning my prayer?”  If so, your prayer life is fake; nothing but a show; nothing but dust.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

In the ancient world, when a person intentionally looks dismal as they fast and refrain from food or luxury, “so as to show others that they are fasting,” so that everyone can see the sacrifice that they are making for the Lord, Jesus teaches that their acts of sacrifice are not truly sacrifices at all.  In our world, when people give up their time or sacrifice their wellbeing in order to help another, and at the same time complain about the personal strain the sacrifice is causing, Jesus would teach that the sacrifices are not sacrifices at all.  Rather, it is about how the person looks when sacrificing for others.  It is about having all eyes on them.  And, Jesus would have us know that being a fake is nothing but dust.  Once it blows away, there is nothing left that is of value. 

Do you want a test, to see whether your sacrifices are simply dust?  Ask yourself, “Does anyone else need to know what I have done?”  If so, your sacrifices are fake; nothing but a show; nothing but dust.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Hear Jesus out.  There is nothing wrong with giving.  There is nothing wrong with praying.  There is nothing wrong with sacrificing a part of your life for God and for others.  There is nothing wrong with “Loving God” and “Loving neighbor.”  After-all, these two together are the most important thing that anyone can do in life Jesus says. 

Jesus teaches, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39). 

But, what makes it all empty, what makes it all dust, is when the giving, praying, and sacrificing actually has nothing to do with God or neighbor.  When it only has to do with you, it is not heavenly.  Rather, it is dust, it is earthly, where “moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

Remember that you are dust, nothing more.

But, also remember that though you are dust, you are God’s dust.  God took you from the ground, and molded you and shaped you with heavenly hands.  God’s lips breathed life into the dust that is you and you came alive.  God did it once, and God can do it again.

You may look at yourself and see that you are nothing but dust, and that might be true, but God knows that you are heavenly dust.  God can shape your giving, your prayers, and your sacrifices in such a way that they provide the very love that has been breathed into you, as a gift to others. 

Jesus teaches that when you give, pray, and sacrifice for God and others, you might want to try doing it in secret, because, when done in secret, God will use it for heavenly, purposes.  And, you will be rewarded by being a part of God’s mission to spread love and mercy throughout the world.  You will be rewarded with a divine heart.  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Yes, you are dust, but you are not fake.  You are God’s dust, molded for heavenly purposes, and for that we give thanks to God.