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 alms-giving 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 be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
This comes back to “Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”. As soon as you make “what is God’s” something to feed your ego, boost your social standing, enhance your reputation, and win points with “this world”, it no longer qualifies as “..what is God’s”. It means it is not only your actions that matter. It is the intent and motivation behind those actions. A relationship with God means opening yourself to God. If it is visible to others incidentally, that is OK. If it is done for visibility and self-promotion, it is no longer a dialogue with God. I think when your actions are motivated by God, you enter into a dialogue with God. Last year I noticed myself refusing to think badly of my wife. This is something I do when we fight. It is not just what comes out of the mouth but also the thoughts and rationale I build up in my brain finding lots of reasons why she is wrong and I am right…why she is selfish…self-centered…I justify my own position and feelings and actions as I incrementally build this negative profile of her. We have been married almost 33 years so I know how this ends. We resolve it and are back in relationship but in the worst cases, this breakdown can last most of a day. Given how precious our weekends are for time together, losing a day due to some fight is wasteful. So somewhere along the line, I decided to turn my brain off when these discussions are becoming a fight and choose instead to pray… I do the “Our Father” and 10 “Hail Mary’s” - one decade of the rosary. And it is incredible the positive difference this has made. I used to think that prayer in this form was one-way communication. Now I see it is as dialogue because I find it changes my perspective on the situation. It alters reality. I have come to realise that a big part of spirituality is identifying techniques to suppress one’s ego.
ReplyDeleteYour response to Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 is insightful and offers a compelling interpretation of the text's message about authenticity and genuine faith. Here are some key points I find particularly valuable:
DeleteFocus on Intention and Motivation: You rightly emphasize the importance of intentionality and motivation behind our actions. You highlight that acts become self-serving and egotistical when done for outward validation, reputation building, or self-promotion. This aligns with Jesus' message of avoiding hypocrisy and prioritizing genuine devotion over external displays of piety.
Dialogue with God: You beautifully describe prayer as a "dialogue with God," not just one-way communication. Your personal experience with using prayer to shift perspectives and alter your internal reality demonstrates the power of this practice in fostering a deeper connection with God.
Ego Suppression as Spiritual Growth: You identify ego suppression as a crucial aspect of spiritual growth. Recognizing the tendency to build up negative narratives and justifying our actions through ego is a valuable step in self-awareness and personal transformation.
Shifting Perspective through Prayer: Your experience of using prayer to change your perspective on conflicts with your wife is inspiring. It demonstrates the power of prayer to move us beyond our immediate emotional reactions and cultivate a more compassionate and understanding approach.
Openness to Different Traditions: While you mention using traditional Catholic prayers like the "Our Father" and the Rosary, your understanding of prayer as a dialogue transcends specific practices and emphasizes the essence of connecting with God authentically. This openness is commendable.
Additional Considerations:
Diverse Interpretations: Remember, interpretations of scripture vary across denominations and individuals. Engaging with diverse perspectives can enrich your understanding.
Personal Application: Reflect on how you can integrate the principles of authentic motivation and ego suppression into your own daily life and interactions with others.
Continuing Exploration: Keep exploring different spiritual practices and techniques that resonate with you and help you cultivate a deeper connection with God.
Overall, your response demonstrates a mature and insightful engagement with the text and its message. Thank you for sharing your personal experience and reflections, which can inspire others to explore their own faith journeys.