Mt 6: 1-6 -16-18

TAKE CARE NOT

TO PERFORM
YOUR
RIGHTEOUSNES
S BEFORE
PEOPLE:
RIGHTEOUSNESS
AND JUSTICE
ARE BOTH
THEMATIC WORDS
IN THE GOSPEL,
ITS ARAMAIC
EQUIVALENT IS
ALMSGIVING,
AS CHARITY DID IN
ENGLISH.
REWARD:
WHOEVER WANTS
TO BE PUBLICIZE
HIS VIRTUE LABORS
NOT FOR VIRTUE
BUT FOR GLORY
OUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD BE A
LIVING AND
PERSONAL ONE.
HYPOCRITES:
ASSOCIATED WITH
THE SCRIBES AND
PHARISEES.
ORIGINALLY,
HYPOKRITES, A
THEATRICAL
TERM, MEANING
ACTORS.
 IN MATTHEW 23,
THEY ARE
REFERRED TO AS
FALSE
INTERPRETERS OF
SCRIPTURES. THEY
ARE THEIR
RELIGIOUS
TEACHERS WHO
FAIL IN THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY .
PRAYER:
IT SHOULD BE
SINCERE AND
PERSONAL
COMMUNION
WITH GOD, AND
IT SHOULD BE
SHORT
PRAYER: BECAUSE IT IS
FOR US AND
NOT GODS WHO
ALREADY KNOWS
WHAT WE NEED.
IT IS THE FOOD
OF FAITH. THIS
TEACHING DOES
NOT CRITICIZE
 PUBLIC
WORSHIP AS
SUCH FOR
JESUS ALSO
PARTICIPATED
IN THE
SYNAGOGUE
SERVICE AND HE
ALSO PRAYED
PRIVATELY.
FASTING:
FASTING WAS
UNDERSTOOD AS
HUMBLING
ONESELF BEFORE
GOD (IS 58:3-9)
STRENGTHENING
PRAYER
( TOB 12:8)
EXPRESSION OF
MOURNING
(MT 9:14-15)
FAST IS
DIRECTED
TOWARD GOD,
NOT TOWARD
HUMAN BEINGS
AND IT
REQUIRES FAITH.
LESSON:
 RIGHTEOUS DEED
REFERRED TO IN THE
GOSPEL ARE;
ALMSGIVING, PRAYER,
AND FASTING THE
THREE BASIC
EXPRESSION OF JEWISH
PIETY.
 THEY ARE NOT TO BE
PERFORMED JUST FOR
A SHOW, AS IN A
THEATER
PERFORMANCE AND
CATCH THE ATTENTION
OF THE ON LOOKERS,
RATHER, ALMSGIVING,
PRAYER AND FASTING
SHOULD BE
PRACTICED WITH
PURITY OF INTENTION
TOWARDS CHANGING
ONES HEART AND MIND.
 NOW WITH THESE
ASHES IMPOSED ON
OUR FOREHEADS,
MAY WE ALL
REMEMBER THAT ALL
OF US ARE ASKED TO
CHANGE:
MAGBAGONG BUHAY KA
AT SA MABUTING BALITAY
SUMAMPALATAYA.