HOMILY OF THE 11TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A

HOMILY OF THE 11TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: MOTIVES

BY: Fr. Paul Karabari 

2 Cor 9:6-11; Psalm 112:1-4, 9; Matt 6:1-6, 16-18

‘Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’

The motive behind what we do is very important. In the Gospel passage of today (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18), Jesus warns us against giving alms and praying for public shows. We know that doing good in the world is part of being a Christian. When we are in tune with God, that love and joy naturally spill out into actions that make a difference to the people around us. Of course, sometimes that means that people see us doing those good deeds, and we don’t think that Jesus would be mad at us if people happen to notice us living like Him. It is less about who sees what, and more to do with motive.

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We each give for different reasons. 1) Some people give out of guilt. They give to God’s work because they would feel bad if they didn’t. 2) Some people give out of greed and reward. They give only to get. They stand on Scriptures such as: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (Luke 6:38). The problem with this kind of thinking is that it is ‘me-centred’. 3) Some people give to get glory. This is exactly what Jesus is condemning. God is not just interested in what we give, but in why we give. He looks beyond the amount we give and examines the motive behind it. If we give to God out of greed, guilt, or glory, we are giving from the wrong motives and reasons. 4) Some people give out of gratitude. These are the people who ask, ‘What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?’ (Psalm 116:12), and they give out of gratitude. That is the kind of giver we should try to be.

Prayer shouldn’t be a theatrical production but heartfelt. It should be between you and God. Even when it is verbal, it must come from the heart. Heartfelt prayer isn’t meant for human ears. Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way: ‘Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play.’ In heartfelt prayer, the Holy Spirit brings to the surface things you have carefully hidden from others, and even yourself. Like a mirror, He confronts you with the truth and demands that you confess ‘the hidden things of dishonesty’ (2 Corinthians 4:2). This is not against public or community prayer.

God loves it when we come to Him in prayer. It is an opportunity for us to share our concerns, listen to His voice, and connect with Him on a deeper level. But sometimes we pray for all the wrong reasons and in the wrong way. We can find ourselves praying in order to show other people how holy we are.

We need to be coming to God with humility and expectancy. And we need to make sure we are coming to God with the right motive. The reason you pray is much more important than the words you say. Having a pure heart that loves God and loves people is always acceptable to the Lord. On the other hand, selfishness is unacceptable, revenge is unacceptable, manipulation and control are unacceptable, jealousy is unacceptable, and pride is unacceptable. In fact, anything that is selfishly based is an unacceptable motive.

It is not the deeds on the outside that are a problem, it is the heart and the motive within. We don’t necessarily have to go to undercover-agent lengths to hide or deny our good deeds, but we do have to make sure that they are done with a humble and prayerful heart. If we ensure that our motivation is glory for God, not for ourselves, we will be on the right track. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God bless you and your household always through Christ, our Lord Amen. Good morning.

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