1 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,200 Hey everyone. Welcome back to the Daily 2 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,900 gospel, exegesis podcast. Produced biological Bible study. 3 00:00:17,300 --> 00:00:20,300 Our goal in this podcast, is to help you really understand the 4 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:24,100 text of the Bible. We do a verse by verse exegesis 5 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:26,800 into the text of the Gospel reading. 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:28,800 You would hear it today's mass. So, a really helping you 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,700 understand, The very words that Jesus used. 8 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:34,000 What did he mean in his original context? 9 00:00:34,300 --> 00:00:36,500 And we're faithful to the teaching of the church? 10 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:39,400 We start with the literal sense of the text, which is where we 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,800 must start as Catholics. So today's reading is a really 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,100 interesting one one, you've probably heard many times but 13 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:47,900 perhaps one you haven't really thought about it. 14 00:00:47,908 --> 00:00:49,700 And it's quite an important one to understand. 15 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:51,300 We're in The Sermon on the Mount here. 16 00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:57,900 So Matthew chapter 6, verses 1 to 6 and then verses 16 to 18. 17 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:03,800 Jesus said to his disciples, be careful, not to parade your good 18 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,300 deeds before men to attract their notice. 19 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,600 By doing this, you will lose all reward from your father in 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,600 Heaven. So when you give arms, do not 21 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,800 have a trumpeted before you, this is what the Hypocrites do 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,100 in the synagogues and in the streets to win men's admiration, 23 00:01:22,900 --> 00:01:27,200 I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward, but when you 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,500 give arms, your left hand, must not know what your right is 25 00:01:30,500 --> 00:01:33,500 doing. Your arms, giving must be secret 26 00:01:33,700 --> 00:01:37,500 and your father, who sees all that is done, in secret will 27 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:41,500 reward you. And when you pray do not imitate 28 00:01:41,500 --> 00:01:45,300 the Hypocrites, they love to say their prayers standing up in the 29 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:49,000 synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. 30 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:54,200 I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward but when you 31 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,500 pray, go to your private room and when you have shut your 32 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:03,000 door, pray to your father who is in that secret place and your 33 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,700 father who sees all that is done. 34 00:02:04,700 --> 00:02:10,300 In secret will reward you. When you fast do not put on a 35 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:14,800 gloomy, look as the Hypocrites. Do they pull long faces to? 36 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,900 Let me know that they are fasting. 37 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,800 I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward but when you 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,600 fast put oil on your head and wash your face so that no one 39 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,600 will know that you are fasting except your father who sees all 40 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,500 that he's done in secret and your father, who sees all that 41 00:02:34,500 --> 00:02:37,100 is done. In secret will reward you. 42 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,200 So that's our text for today. A very important one in 43 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,500 understanding, what Jesus expects of Christians. 44 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,400 So we're in The Sermon on the Mount, which is where Jesus 45 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,200 gives an extended sermon across. Matthew, 527, contrasting, what 46 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,300 some people in his time thought righteousness was with what true 47 00:02:56,300 --> 00:02:58,800 righteousness actually is. So the whole sermon is a 48 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,100 teaching on. What does it mean to be truly? 49 00:03:01,100 --> 00:03:04,700 Holy truly righteous. And it's well worth doing a full 50 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:06,500 study on the entire Sermon on the Mount. 51 00:03:06,500 --> 00:03:11,200 You can hear the entire A sermon during week, 10 11, and 12 of 52 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,000 ordinary time, we go through it verse by verse, as part of this 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,700 podcast. So Jesus just before this in the 54 00:03:17,700 --> 00:03:21,800 sermon has said you have heard it said but I say to you so he's 55 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,500 done a whole series of those things. 56 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:26,900 Now we get to today's text and we need to make a couple of 57 00:03:26,908 --> 00:03:28,900 comments before we get into today's text. 58 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:32,500 Jesus is going to refer here to a person that he calls a 59 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:35,600 hypocrite. A hypocrite, can mean different 60 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,900 things in today's society, but in Jesus time and basically 61 00:03:38,900 --> 00:03:42,400 meant, it was a technical term referring to someone who wears a 62 00:03:42,408 --> 00:03:44,400 mask. So it's like a stage actor. 63 00:03:44,700 --> 00:03:48,300 Someone who's playing a role. And in the context of when Jesus 64 00:03:48,300 --> 00:03:52,200 speaks in his sermons, typically a hypocrite is someone who 65 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,600 pretends to be righteous externally. 66 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,600 So by all appearances, they are righteous. 67 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,300 If you were to look at someone a hypocrite, they would appear to 68 00:04:01,300 --> 00:04:05,200 be righteous externally but internally Lee, they're not 69 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:06,800 righteous. They don't have true 70 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,000 righteousness. So on the outside they might 71 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,500 appear to be righteous but internally they're not and Jesus 72 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:17,100 primarily refers to the Pharisees as Hypocrites. 73 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:19,899 Although in his sermon, here he doesn't specifically lists the 74 00:04:19,899 --> 00:04:23,300 Pharisees at every single point. So, certainly, it's true to say 75 00:04:23,300 --> 00:04:26,800 that anyone who does the things in hypocritical way. 76 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:28,800 Jesus criticism is leveled at them. 77 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,800 Jesus, in today's reading is going to address three different 78 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,800 practices. He wants his disciples to do but 79 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:38,500 not in the way that the Hypocrites do. 80 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:41,800 So he's going to talk about three practices a bad way of 81 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:43,500 doing them and then the right way to do them. 82 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:48,600 So the three practices are giving arms praying and fasting. 83 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:50,400 Those are the three that are mentioned today. 84 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:54,000 Now if those three things sound familiar to you as a Catholic, 85 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:55,400 there's probably a good reason for that. 86 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,600 So, giving arms praying, and fasting. 87 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,600 Other three, things traditionally, considered to be 88 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,000 the basic Good Deeds that Christians should do in order. 89 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,300 Did you draw closer to God? And in fact, they'll listed in 90 00:05:07,300 --> 00:05:11,200 the Bible as the three things that followers of God should do 91 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,900 to make Penance for their sins. That's in tobert chapter 12 92 00:05:14,900 --> 00:05:17,500 verses 8 to 10. It actually lists those three 93 00:05:18,300 --> 00:05:20,100 and four. Catholics these three things are 94 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:23,800 very prominent during Lent, which is why this reading is 95 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,300 read on Ash Wednesday. So, Jesus says that for each of 96 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:29,900 these three things, giving arms praying and fasting. 97 00:05:30,300 --> 00:05:32,700 There's a right way, and a wrong way of doing it. 98 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,800 So, let's Art here at verse 1. Jesus said to his disciples now 99 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,100 that's in our lectionary but it's not in the original. 100 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:42,100 Jesus is not necessarily speaking to his disciples here. 101 00:05:42,100 --> 00:05:46,000 It looks like he's speaking to a large crowds probably crowds of 102 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,100 people who are interested in being Christian. 103 00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:52,200 Here's what he says first be careful not to parade your good 104 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,800 deeds before men in order to attract their notice another 105 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,400 word there for good. Deeds is piety be careful. 106 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,000 Not to parade your piety before men in order to attract their 107 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,300 noses. Now notice here, let's read the 108 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:08,200 sentence carefully. Jesus doesn't say be careful not 109 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,400 to do good deeds. That's not what he says. 110 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,900 He says Don't parade your good deeds before men in order to 111 00:06:13,900 --> 00:06:17,300 attract their notice. So Jesus here is not saying 112 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,400 don't let other people see your good deeds. 113 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,400 In fact, elsewhere in Matthew, he says there's a good there's a 114 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,700 time for that. He says that when people see 115 00:06:25,700 --> 00:06:28,800 your good deeds they will see us a shining our light. 116 00:06:28,900 --> 00:06:32,200 And those other people who see our good deeds will glorify God. 117 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,700 So, there's certainly a time and a place Ace for having other 118 00:06:35,700 --> 00:06:36,900 people. See your good deeds as a 119 00:06:36,907 --> 00:06:42,000 Christian but he says don't do good deeds in order to attract 120 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,700 their attention that would be the wrong motive so we can't do 121 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:49,400 good deeds as Christians in order to attract the notice of 122 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,200 others that would be a wrong motivation and Jesus goes on. 123 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,800 He says, if you do this, you will lose all reward from your 124 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,900 father in Heaven. This is an interesting phrase 125 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:01,600 reward from your father in Heaven. 126 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,200 This seems to imply that there are different Freeze of reward 127 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,800 in heaven, when you get to the kingdom and those different 128 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,100 metaphors that are used, but when you get to the kingdom of 129 00:07:11,100 --> 00:07:13,200 heaven, the final new heavens and new earth. 130 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,700 The picture we get from the New Testament is some people will 131 00:07:15,700 --> 00:07:20,000 have more rewards than others and that is unpacked, later in 132 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,000 the New Testament. And that does Calment come in to 133 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,400 Catholic teaching even today Jesus, he is says that if a 134 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,500 Christian even someone who is in the Kingdom, if they continually 135 00:07:30,500 --> 00:07:34,000 do acts for self-gain, they lose mirror before. 136 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:37,500 For God and therefore they lose some of their rewards in heaven. 137 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:38,900 This is a controversial teaching. 138 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,600 We don't often talk about it. But certainly even for 139 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,600 Christians, your conduct in this life can affect your level of 140 00:07:45,900 --> 00:07:48,100 Merit or rewards in the next life. 141 00:07:48,700 --> 00:07:51,000 And there's lots of good theological writings about this 142 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,200 and certainly it is Jesus own teaching verse 2 when you give 143 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,700 arms. Now arms giving that basically 144 00:07:57,700 --> 00:07:59,700 just means giving money to the poor. 145 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,300 Jews were expected to give money to the poor. 146 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:05,800 That's in Deuteronomy 15. 11 notice Jesus. 147 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,700 Here assumes that Christians are going to do it. 148 00:08:07,700 --> 00:08:12,300 It's part of basic Christian Duty when you give arms, do not 149 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:15,100 have a trumpeted before you. So this is a metaphor. 150 00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:18,200 That means attention-seeking, don't give money to the poor. 151 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,000 In order to seek attention, that would be the wrong motive. 152 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,300 Jesus goes on, this is what the Hypocrites do in the synagogues 153 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,000 and in the streets to win admiration or more. 154 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,600 Literally what it says there is that they may be praised by men. 155 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:36,900 So, In the local synagogues, the Pharisees and other prominent 156 00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:39,500 Jews would come out the front and they would put money in the 157 00:08:39,508 --> 00:08:43,500 Box in order that everyone would see them and say about them. 158 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:46,600 Ooh isn't that person so wholly. So there would do these good 159 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,300 acts in the synagogues and sometimes on the streets as well 160 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:52,500 in a very visible way so that everyone would look at them and 161 00:08:52,500 --> 00:08:56,500 realize how holy they are because they wanted to receive 162 00:08:56,500 --> 00:08:58,900 praise from others. This is the problem with the 163 00:08:58,908 --> 00:09:00,800 Pharisees and the other Jewish leaders. 164 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,300 At the time, one of the issues is they're doing these These 165 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:08,200 things that in and of themselves are good but they're doing them 166 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:09,800 in order to get praise from others. 167 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,000 And that is a wrong motivation and that does not get you any 168 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,500 Merit before. God Jesus says, I tell you 169 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:20,100 solemnly or more literally, truly I say to you and whenever 170 00:09:20,100 --> 00:09:22,600 you hear that, that's a flag. That Jesus is about to say 171 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,300 something important, they have had their reward. 172 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,600 So for the Hypocrites who do these things for attention, the 173 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,600 attention of men is their reward. 174 00:09:34,100 --> 00:09:35,800 They've already gotten their reward, they're not going to get 175 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,200 any more rewards from God in heaven. 176 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,700 They lose their Merit before God when they do these things with 177 00:09:41,700 --> 00:09:46,600 selfish motive verse 3, when you give arms your left hand, must 178 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,300 not know what your right hand is doing. 179 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,000 Now, this has to be what we call a hyperbole or an exaggeration. 180 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,000 It's not metaphysically possible for your left hand, to not know 181 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,400 what your right hand is doing. So here we have a clear example 182 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,100 where Jesus is definitely exaggerating in order to make a 183 00:10:03,108 --> 00:10:06,100 point and certainly Jewish teachers in his time, would do 184 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:08,700 exactly that. What he means when he 185 00:10:08,708 --> 00:10:12,400 exaggerated here, is something like this when you do good, it 186 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:17,600 must not be so that others will notice just do it in secret as 187 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,100 far as possible. That's basically what he's 188 00:10:19,100 --> 00:10:23,400 trying to say verse for your arms, giving must be secret. 189 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,100 So that's literally what he says next. 190 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,500 Now, sometimes it's not possible for it to be entirely secret. 191 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:31,100 There will be people who probably see you giving money 192 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:34,700 just by chance, but Jesus teaching is that As far as 193 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:39,300 possible, your arms, giving has to be private and secret less 194 00:10:39,300 --> 00:10:41,700 you fall into pride and attention seeking. 195 00:10:43,100 --> 00:10:46,300 If you do this, your father who sees all that is done in secret. 196 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,900 Notice, this is an affirmation of God's omnipotence. 197 00:10:49,300 --> 00:10:52,700 God sees and in fact knows his omniscience. 198 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,900 He sees and knows everything that is done. 199 00:10:56,100 --> 00:10:58,200 Even if other people don't see you giving arms. 200 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,700 God always sees it. Jesus says your father who sees 201 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:05,400 all that is done, in secret will reward you. 202 00:11:05,900 --> 00:11:09,600 So you can build up merits before God by doing good acts 203 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,000 for the sake of God that is Jesus teaching. 204 00:11:12,100 --> 00:11:15,500 Here verse 5, Jesus turns his attention to prayer. 205 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:19,000 Nell When you pray do not imitate the Hypocrites. 206 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,700 So once again he's going to tell us how the Hypocrites do it 207 00:11:21,700 --> 00:11:24,500 badly. They love to say their prayers 208 00:11:24,500 --> 00:11:27,600 standing up in the synagogue's now. 209 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,400 The first thing to say here is Jesus is not condemning standing 210 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,100 prayers. That was actually the normal 211 00:11:33,100 --> 00:11:36,100 prayer posture for most of the Jewish history. 212 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:39,700 So Jesus is not saying don't stand up when you pray, what he 213 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:42,000 is doing is he's condemning praying in a position. 214 00:11:42,100 --> 00:11:43,500 Ocean where everyone can see them. 215 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,400 So if you can imagine a Pharisee sort of standing up in a high 216 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,300 place so that everyone can see him pray. 217 00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:53,300 Jesus says, you can't do that. So he says they love to say 218 00:11:53,300 --> 00:11:56,600 their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street 219 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,100 corners. So the Pharisees and others 220 00:11:59,100 --> 00:12:02,500 would literally stand on the street corners in a very visible 221 00:12:02,500 --> 00:12:06,000 spot, so that everyone who's passing by can look at them and 222 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:06,600 think. Wow. 223 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,900 Isn't that man, righteous? So they would literally say 224 00:12:08,900 --> 00:12:11,200 their prayers in a visible position. 225 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,400 Because they wanted other people to think that they're righteous. 226 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,900 So the Pharisees in the Jewish leaders in a way, their position 227 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:22,700 was appointed by God, there did need to be authoritative leaders 228 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:24,700 of the Jewish people. It's just that by the time of 229 00:12:24,700 --> 00:12:28,500 Jesus, the Pharisees and some of these other Jewish leaders had 230 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:30,400 missed the point. And in fact, many of them have 231 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,300 become quite selfish and attention-seeking. 232 00:12:33,500 --> 00:12:37,100 And that was the problem. So, Jesus will now tell us how 233 00:12:37,100 --> 00:12:41,200 he expects Christians to pray. When you pray, go to your 234 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:42,400 private. Ivett room. 235 00:12:43,300 --> 00:12:46,100 Now this is an interesting one and Scholars are a bit divided 236 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:49,200 on what exactly. This means some people have 237 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,600 looked at this phrase go to your private room and have said well 238 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,500 people didn't have their own bedroom in those days. 239 00:12:55,500 --> 00:12:59,100 They just had kind of a big shared house, so when Jesus says 240 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,400 here you go to your private room, Jesus must mean, it's 241 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,800 private prayer in your heart. Now that could be right that 242 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,800 might be the right interpretation because it's 243 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,600 certainly true that people did not have their own bedrooms, so 244 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,600 they couldn't really go to. Bedroom and closed the door. 245 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,400 However, it does seem that many houses had what was kind of like 246 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,200 a prayer closet. It was a storage room that could 247 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,200 be used as a prayer closet that could actually close the door. 248 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,400 So, many Jewish houses, had essentially a prayer closet. 249 00:13:26,900 --> 00:13:29,600 So, perhaps, Jesus. Here means when you pray go to 250 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:33,000 your private room, he literally means say your prayers in your 251 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,000 prayer, Closet, in a private room, it could mean, and 252 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,300 certainly an extension of this would be pray in your heart and 253 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:43,600 certainly both of those. Feel the criteria of not doing 254 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,200 it in public and Jesus says, when you have shut your door. 255 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,000 So the key thing is so when no one can see you doing it, pray 256 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:52,900 to your father, who is in secret. 257 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,200 So Jesus says when you pray it can't be for attracting 258 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,000 attention. He's not saying, don't pray in 259 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,500 public ever because certainly there's you know, prayer 260 00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:03,900 meetings and things where that's needed, but he's saying that 261 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,100 your general posture of prayer should not be to attract 262 00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:09,400 attention. Pray to your father who is in 263 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,800 secret. So when you're praying, For the 264 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,000 purposes of drawing closer to the father, rather than for 265 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:16,700 attention. So the whole point of this 266 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:20,700 section Jesus is making sure that when Christians do these 267 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:23,400 Pious practices, they have to have the right motivation for 268 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,700 it. If they do they'll develop 269 00:14:25,700 --> 00:14:27,400 righteousness true righteousness. 270 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,000 But if they don't, they'll become less righteous. 271 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,500 That's the basic teaching here. So there was this mentality of 272 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,700 the time that just because you do certain actions, it makes you 273 00:14:36,700 --> 00:14:38,900 more righteous. Will Jesus says actually know 274 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:42,500 your motive is what counts that is what's To determine whether 275 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:44,300 you have true righteousness or not. 276 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,900 Pray to your father, who is in secret and your father who sees 277 00:14:48,900 --> 00:14:51,400 all that is done, in secret will reward you. 278 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,000 So that's the end of verse 6. Now, our reading today skips 279 00:14:55,300 --> 00:14:58,800 verse 7 to 15, which is the Our Father prayer. 280 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,900 And of course, the Our Father prayer is an extension of what 281 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:04,400 Jesus has just been saying about prayer. 282 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,800 So if you want to hear the, Our Father prayer that is read on 283 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:13,000 Tuesday, a week 1 of Lent and also Thursday of Of week, 11 in 284 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,200 ordinary time. So you can hear both of those if 285 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,200 you look through the podcast archive. 286 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,000 So, choose day of week, 1 of Lent and Thursday of week, 11 in 287 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,800 ordinary time, it's worth studying the Our Father in 288 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,800 depth. So, we now skipped a verse 16 289 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,100 today, which is just after the, Our Father and Jesus is now 290 00:15:30,100 --> 00:15:35,000 going to address fasting. When you fast notice that, that 291 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:39,000 phrase when you fast, so that implies that Jesus followers are 292 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,800 expected to fast. It's not if you fast, it's when 293 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,600 you fast, we sometimes forget this. 294 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,100 Jesus expects, Christians, too fast. 295 00:15:46,100 --> 00:15:49,800 It's not just part of the old Covenant, do not put on a 296 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,400 gloomy. Look as the Hypocrites do or 297 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,200 more, literally do not look dismal as the Hypocrites. 298 00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:58,600 They pull long faces to let men though. 299 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,700 Know, they are fasting. What it says there literally is. 300 00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:04,100 They Disfigure, their faces to let me know. 301 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:06,500 They are fasting. So it looks like in this time, 302 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:08,800 the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders who were being 303 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,100 Hypocrites, when they fasted, which was actually quite often. 304 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,400 That was probably weekly or maybe more than that, they would 305 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,400 do things to their face. They will put ashes on their 306 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,100 face. They would maybe make themselves 307 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:21,900 look on untidy. So that other people could look 308 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,400 at them and other people would realize this person is fasting. 309 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,200 So again, they're fasting in order to attract attention, 310 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,200 they're making it very obvious to everyone else that they're 311 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,400 fasting. So Jesus says, I tell you 312 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,800 solemnly, they have had their reward. 313 00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:38,800 Pretty strong words there from Jesus. 314 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,900 He says that those who do fasting with a motive to attract 315 00:16:41,900 --> 00:16:45,100 attention has an they have no merit before God, they're only 316 00:16:45,100 --> 00:16:48,700 reward is what is the attention they get from other people in 317 00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:52,900 their lifetime? Jesus says verse 17, when you 318 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:56,200 fast put oil on your head and wash your face. 319 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,100 So Jesus says, when you're fasting, stay clean and 320 00:16:59,100 --> 00:17:01,700 presentable so that no one is going to suspect that you're 321 00:17:01,700 --> 00:17:02,400 fast. Acting. 322 00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:05,300 It shouldn't be obvious to other people when you're fasting. 323 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:09,099 It's something you're doing as part of your personal prayer 324 00:17:09,099 --> 00:17:12,400 Devotion to draw closer to God, and it should not be 325 00:17:12,700 --> 00:17:15,900 particularly obvious. And it certainly shouldn't be to 326 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:17,400 attract the attention of other people. 327 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,599 Put oil on your head and wash your face so that no one will 328 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:25,200 know you are fasting except your father who sees all that is done 329 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:29,000 in secret and your father, who sees all that is done, in secret 330 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,300 will reward you. So Jesus point is that, for all 331 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:36,300 of these good actions, you need to ensure that you do it out of 332 00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:40,100 the right motives which means that as far as possible, God 333 00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:43,100 needs to be the only one knowing you are doing them. 334 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,900 It's a challenge, but it's that's what Jesus wants for 335 00:17:45,900 --> 00:17:48,100 Christians. When you're doing good action, 336 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:53,100 As far as possible you want to make it so that only go only God 337 00:17:53,100 --> 00:17:56,100 knows what you're doing. And in that way, you can build 338 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:58,300 up Merit and righteousness of yourself. 339 00:17:59,300 --> 00:18:02,000 So, Jesus has more to say in this speech we've done up to 340 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:03,800 verse 18. If you want to hear the next 341 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:08,500 section, verse 19 to 23, which is when Jesus says, do not store 342 00:18:08,500 --> 00:18:11,900 up Treasures for yourselves on Earth, rather store them up in 343 00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:16,200 heaven, you can hear that on Friday of week, 11 in ordinary 344 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,500 time. Now, if we turn to the 345 00:18:18,508 --> 00:18:22,000 catechism, which is a summary of Catholic teaching, there's all 346 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,200 sorts of places where the Sermon on the Mount and particularly 347 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,000 these words get reference, so I'll read out a few of them. 348 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,800 There's quite a lot paragraph, 14 30 is about interior 349 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:37,200 pennants, Jesus call to conversion and Penance like that 350 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,800 of the prophets before him does not aim. 351 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,800 First at out, Woodworks sack cloth and Ashes, fasting and 352 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,400 mortification. But at the conversion of the 353 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,700 heart into Interior conversion without this, such penances, 354 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:54,700 remain sterile and false. However, interior conversion 355 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,600 urges expression in visible signs gestures and works of 356 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,300 penance. So, pretty strong Catholic 357 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:04,300 teaching there, which is that visible signs gestures. 358 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:07,400 And pendants are important, when they're done with the right 359 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,900 motive, they can bring about interior conversion with the 360 00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:14,800 right motives, but it's not just about performing the external 361 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,000 actions for their own sake. Jesus, does not I'm at outward 362 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,600 works for their own sakes rather he wants out interior conversion 363 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,600 and of course as this passage teaches us it's the motivation 364 00:19:25,700 --> 00:19:27,700 that's going to determine whether that happens or not 365 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,400 paragraph. 1969 is about the new law, the new law practices, the 366 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:37,300 acts of religion arms, giving prayer and fasting directing 367 00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:40,700 them to the father who sees in secret, in contrast with the 368 00:19:40,708 --> 00:19:44,500 desire to be seen by men. It's prayer is the Our father. 369 00:19:45,300 --> 00:19:47,100 So that's a very good summary of what we've been saying. 370 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:52,000 Saying here paragraph 1753 is about the sources of morality. 371 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,600 This is a really interesting section about the way that moral 372 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,300 actions are determined a good intention. 373 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:01,700 For example, that of helping one's neighbor does not make 374 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:05,400 behavior that is intrinsically disordered such as lying or 375 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,300 calumny, good. Or just the end does not justify 376 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:13,300 the means, thus the condemnation of an innocent person cannot be 377 00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:16,800 justified as a legitimate means of saving the nation. 378 00:20:17,500 --> 00:20:21,100 On the other hand and added bad intentions such as vainglory 379 00:20:21,100 --> 00:20:25,200 makes an act evil that in. And of itself, can be good such 380 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,800 as arms giving. So, here, the catechism talks 381 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:33,400 about Matthew chapter 6, as an example, of how motivation can 382 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,300 determine whether an action is overall good or bad. 383 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:37,900 So that's in a really interesting section of the 384 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:40,400 catechism, all include, all of these in the episode 385 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,100 description, if you want to look at them paragraph, 2447 is about 386 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:46,800 love for the poor. The Works of Mercy are 387 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:48,800 charitable. Double actions by which we come 388 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,300 to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily 389 00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:56,000 Necessities, instructing advising consoling comforting, A 390 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,900 Spiritual Works of Mercy as are forgiving and bearing wrongs 391 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:02,900 patiently. The Corporal Works of Mercy, 392 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,200 consists of specially of feeding the hungry, Sheltering the 393 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,000 homeless clothing, the naked, visiting the sick, and 394 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,300 imprisoned and burying the dead among all these giving arms to 395 00:21:13,300 --> 00:21:16,400 the poor is one of the chief witnesses to Fraternal charity. 396 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,700 It is Also a work of Justice pleasing to God. 397 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:23,400 So there we see the Catholic teaching echoing Matthew 6, that 398 00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:27,300 giving arms to the poor is an important witness to the faith. 399 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:33,600 Paragraph 1693 is about life in Christ Christ. 400 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,200 Jesus always did what was pleasing to the father and 401 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,500 always lived in perfect. Communion with him, likewise, 402 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:43,300 Jesus disciples are invited to live in the side of the father 403 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:46,800 who sees in secret in order to become perfect. 404 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:48,600 As your heavenly father is perfect. 405 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:51,500 So, here's the Catholic teaching that if you're a Christian, you 406 00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:53,800 should be trying to live to please the father because the 407 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:59,700 father sees all that you do as Jesus says here paragraph 26. 08 408 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:03,400 is about Jesus teaching us how to pray from The Sermon on the 409 00:22:03,408 --> 00:22:06,200 Mount on words. Jesus insists on conversion of 410 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,900 heart reconciliation, with one's brother. 411 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:12,600 Before presenting, an offering on the altar love of enemies and 412 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,400 prayer for persecutors prayer to the father in secret. 413 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,900 Not heaping up, empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the 414 00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:23,200 depths of the heart, purity of heart and seeking the kingdom 415 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,500 before all else, this filial conversion is entirely directed 416 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:30,800 to the father. So this catechism reference 417 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,200 tells us that a whole lot of The Sermon on the Mount. 418 00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:36,700 Reminds us about the way we should pray as Christians 419 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,700 paragraph 269 want, we'll make this the last last one. 420 00:22:41,700 --> 00:22:44,500 This is in the section about where are the places that are 421 00:22:44,500 --> 00:22:48,400 favorable for prayer? And the catechism says, for 422 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,400 personal prayer, this can be a prayer corner with the Sacred 423 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,500 Scriptures and icons in order to be there in Secrets before our 424 00:22:56,500 --> 00:23:00,900 father So the verse he would Jesus says go to your private 425 00:23:00,900 --> 00:23:03,100 room and close your door and pray in secret. 426 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,100 The catechism extends that and says it's actually a good idea 427 00:23:06,100 --> 00:23:09,500 to have a private place in your house where you can pray Like a 428 00:23:09,500 --> 00:23:11,200 Prayer Corner. The catechism actually talks 429 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,700 about trying to set up a prayer Corner in your house so I'll 430 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:17,900 include all those paragraphs in the episode description. 431 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:19,900 I hope you've learned something new today. 432 00:23:19,900 --> 00:23:23,200 I believe that when you dive into The Sermon on the Mount and 433 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,800 go through it, verse by verse as we are, it'll really open up 434 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,500 what Jesus Has meant in his original context and what he 435 00:23:29,500 --> 00:23:32,800 wants for Christians today. So, if you've learned something 436 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,000 new, please tell other people about this ministry. 437 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,100 Share this podcast with them so that the ministry can continue 438 00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:40,900 to grow and will continue looking at the gospels in the 439 00:23:40,908 --> 00:23:41,600 coming days.