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"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love the pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
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"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
- Matthew 6:1-6; Matthew 6:16-18
We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with chapter 5 of Matthew's Gospel. (See The Beatitudes from last Monday, and subsequent readings.) On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Chapter 6 of Matthew's Gospel gives us aspects of the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus speaks about spiritual practice, and how we are to conduct ourselves: in charitable giving, prayer, and fasting. My study bible tells us that these three disciplines relate directly to God's righteousness. Jesus begins in these verses with charitable giving. In the Greek, hypocrite was a word for an actor: in the ancient plays, the actors wore masks, and hypocrite means "under a mask." Those who "play-act" for show seek to please other people more than to please God. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God, as John's Gospel will put it. Therefore, one can wear a mask of compassion, while inwardly remaining heartless. My study bible says that their reward is the applause of other people and nothing more; God is not impressed with what others think about us, nor what we think about ourselves. Some texts do not include the word openly at the end of verse 4. Jesus defines a relationship in which love of God is the first priority; this, in turn, gives us righteousness, right-relatedness to others. This is consistent with Jesus' subsequent teachings on the two greatest commandments.
"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love the pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." My study bible says that the hypocrites miss the spirit of prayer, which is an intimate and personal communion with God, leading to the vision of His glory (1 Corinthians 2:9). Hypocrisy effectively blocks out this communion and this vision. Indeed, one can see it is an active form of denial, truly "a mask." True prayer, says my study bible, is not in telling God what God already knows and then telling God what God must do about it; nor is it appearing pious in front of others. True prayer is first of all humble (go into your room), secondly it is personal (pray to your Father), and finally it is sincere (do not use vain repetition -- in verse 7, which will appear in tomorrow's reading).
"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Today's lectionary reading skips over verses 7 through 15, in which Jesus teaches more about prayer, and gives us the Lord's Prayer (they will appear as tomorrow's reading). Jesus' teachings on hypocrisy are consistent through to the practice of fasting. Keeping a sad countenance is again "showing off" for external display, the response of others. Fasting is not about evil foods or bad foods; it is a commitment to making room for God. Moreover for the Church fasting seasons are not meant to be a legalistic practice, nor does it preclude hospitality, being a gracious guest. Fasting is for spiritual growth and the glory of God, not for show. It is seeking God's compassion, an exercise in self-mastery as it includes fasting from all kinds of things that get in the way of relationship to God; a way of building dispassion. My study bible cites the words of St. John Chrysostom: "What good is it if we abstain from eating birds and fish, but bite and devour our brothers?"
What keeps us from a true relationship to God? Hypocrisy, or wanting to be seen by others as "good" or "pious" as our top priority. As John's Gospel puts it, loving the praise of men more than the praise of God. Modern forms of "piety" seem to me to include many different kinds of moralism, public morality. Whether we speak of "political correctness," or of an appropriate show of one feeling or another, a kind of regulation of what is considered group-appropriate behavior, none of these "rules" can really give us true relatedness to God as top priority. This is why legalistic ways of thinking are not consistent with the teachings of Christ; we can't substitute a set of rules for relationship to God in the intimacy which Jesus envisions here. Community, in Jesus' model, is that which is formed from sincere and deep connection to God as first priority -- and it is from this basic relationship that love is learned and in which one can grow in that love. That is, community as distinguished from collective, in which human beings are no longer individual persons whose conscience and free will operate within that choice for relationship to God. Too often, I find, when we start to define public morality there is too great a demand for conformity as top priority; and how we appear to others becomes the judgment of our character. All too often, this becomes a problem within churches as well. In the midst of a very rancorous election season in the United States, we should consider the difference between a political opinion we might not agree with, and a humble and sincere heart. It really doesn't matter which group or which opinion we're talking about; sooner or later, it seems to me, we are all faced with this choice of whether or not we will please God or seek the approval of our "group." Our Lord exemplifies this in His own life, culminating in the Crucifixion. So, let us consider, what is real victory? It begins in humility, not in the pleasing of the world. We can cover up our own hearts all too easily by the latter.
