3 thoughts for the week
The Pharisees are in for a bit of stick in all three thoughts!
1. Almsgiving. We give alms to others in order to bring glory to God. We should naturally and generously help the poor as an expression of our sharing love and in thanksgiving for the blessings we ourselves have received from God. The Pharisees showed us how not to do it. Namely not to show our generosity to others in order to get popularity.
2) Fasting becomes pleasing to God when we do it: a) to experience what the real hunger of the poor is, b) to help the poor by giving the price of what we do not eat to feed them, c) to discipline ourselves in eating and d) to appreciate better God’s blessings of good health, and generous provision of food. Fasting solely for show, as the Pharisees did, is wrong and sinful.
3) Prayer: Prayer is opening our connection to God by talking to Him and listening to Him, convinced of His holy presence within us and around us. a) By prayer we acknowledge our dependence on God, drawing from Him our daily spiritual strength, and recharge our
spiritual batteries from God’s power. Long, noisy, repetitious prayer performed in public solely for show as the Pharisees did, is not prayer at all.
On a lighter note to end: There was to be a Baptismal party for the new baby of a soldier and his wife at their home on an Army base. Before the ceremony the chaplain took the new father aside. “Are you prepared for this solemn event?” he asked. “I guess so,” replied the soldier. “I’ve got two hams, pickles, bread, cake, cookies……” “No, no!” interrupted the chaplain. “I mean spiritually prepared!” “Well, I don’t know,” said the soldier thoughtfully. “Do you think two cases of whiskey are enough?”