Mt 6:1-18 A Good Reason For Hiding

Mt 6:1-18  A Good Reason For Hiding

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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…But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.…”

“There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek:  to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”  (Ps 27:4)

Everything we do is for a reason.  Everything.  There is a reason why we sleep, eat, play, work, fight, starve, get sick, wear clothes, listen to music, talk, walk, etc... And if there is a reason for everything we do, then maybe it’s not so stupid to think that there is a reason for everything.  Maybe the reason for the sun is the earth?  Maybe the reason for the earth is the same reason to stick a playground in a park: to play in a special way.  Given all this, I don’t think it is unreasonable to think there is a good reason why good things happen and bad things occur.  I wouldn’t even say it’s silly to think that the same reason we live is the same reason God is who He is:  Love.

Everything is done for a reason, but not everything is done for the right reason.  God, who sees all things, sees a man’s reason for He sees a man’s heart and soul.  God, who is hidden, sees what is hidden and repays the man who is pure of heart.  If there is something we know about God, it is this:  He loves a humble man.  We know it because deep down inside of us, we love them too.  There is only one runner that can beat a first place winner:  the humble runner.  There is only one man that can finish last and win first place:  the humble man.  “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see the face of God.”  No one beats a humble man because no one humbles a humble man.  The humble man reveals himself every time he hides himself. 

Does the Lord work in hidden ways?  He does.  He prayed alone, hidden from his own.  He fasted alone, hidden from the world.  He rose from the dead, hidden by the tomb.  But although God hid himself by becoming a man, He also revealed himself by becoming a man.  God loves hidden things, like lovers love to hide things.  Parents love to hide things as much as children love to find things. Children love a surprise party as much as their parents love to hide one.  There is a time to hide and a time to reveal, but whatever we do, we must do it for the glory of God.  We must remain humble.  Through His humility, the Lord was able to remain in his humanity while revealing His divinity; He matured as man and remained childlike as God.  He was comfortable in His skin as He revealed His Sacred Heart.   
Just like God raises himself when He lowers himself, the humble man reveals himself when he hides (dies to) himself. In all things, God is glorified when a man is fully alive.

“What is done in the dark always comes to light”.  This is true for the bad we do as well as the good we do.  The Lord is not asking us to be humble by hiding our faith, our hope and our love.  Rather, He is asking us to share our faith, our hope and our love always, sometimes hidden, sometimes out in the open, but always in remarkable and humble ways.  I have seen many things in my life as a priest.  But just like love, I have never seen humility fail.

This morning I celebrated Mass in our makeshift chapel.  To the right of our ambo, mounted on the wall, is a glass and marble slab with the names of donors etched in it.  Is it wrong to be recognized?  No.  Is it better (holier) to remain anonymous?  No.  (Believe me; I know plenty of people who wish to remain anonymous for not so anonymous reasons.  One reason is so as not to be disturbed by other needy organizations).    

It is good to be generous.  It is good to be anonymous.  It is even good to be recognized.  But what is even better, the greatest, is to be humble.  In all things, may God be glorified! 

“And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”