Reading for June 21 2006

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.”

It is ironic that this reading is saying not to perform deeds so that others may see them and here I am writing my lectio on a blog site so that anyone who wishes can see it. How is it any different?

My motive is to have a regular conversation with God in a way that I can see it and know that I am staying true to it. I also like the idea of having a large free portable storage area for my journaling.
I have seen that there are now options of keeping the journaling totally private and I seriously considered turning these pages completely private.

However, I feel that my Scriptural reflections should not have anything that should remain hidden. It is the light to be seen rather than hidden under the bushel basket. I have no pride of what any of this sounds like or does not sound like. The important thing to me is to keep faithfully returning to God for sustenance in life, my only source of life.

Times of prayer alone in my room have often touched me deeply but there have been times for me also in gatherings of prayer groups and chapel and church that I also have been touched profoundly perhaps not as frequently as privately. I understand the reading especially to be teaching that the motive to pray must be from within and not in any form to simply please other persons. It is a self giving acknowledgement with all that I am that I am God's being and a child of God. God is an indwelling presence that is everywhere and in all things and beyond any concept of time. I pray to greet the God in others when I see them this coming day with love freely given.