The Gospel for Wednesday of the eleventh week in Ordinary Time is taken from Matthew 6, 6 and 16. 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. And then I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

And 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. In this passage, Jesus questions authenticity.

What is the intention of anyone that does anything that God asks them to do? Is it to be seen as someone, or is it to be someone? The image of the inner room that is used in this passage is so beautiful to me because these men, these hypocrites, did not have an intimate relationship with God. They were doing things for themselves and not for others. It’s a stark reminder that intention is everything. Please take a few moments to reflect on these words as you listen to the music.

Now we’ll close with a prayer. Sam. Satan. Sam. Foreign closing prayer. Father, call us to that inner room, the place where we spend time with you in silence, often receiving gift after gift, grace after grace.

Help us to grow as you intend us to grow. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.