Take a tip from the Divine Insider

In today’s Gospel from the Holy Mass (Matt 6:1-6; 16-18), Jesus Christ, the Divine Insider, offers a wonderful, and perhaps terrifying insight into the great power and justice of the Father:

[1] “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. [2] “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  [3] But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  [5]”And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you…[16] “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [17] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,  [18] that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Jesus, the Divine Insider, gives an insight into His Father’s great power and justice:

• In the 1st century, the religious Jews who led the culture were considered the “insiders”, those who know “what’s what” and “who’s who”; they played the power politics of the time, deciding the fates of those over whom they held sway.
• Like all insiders, the Pharisees and Sadducees were smug; many of them were publicly smug, offering theatrical displays of their piety.
• As it turns out, all of the insiders views of how things work are wrong.
• Jesus, the ultimate Insider, the only One who has seen the Father and truly knows the Father offers a wonderful, and perhaps terrifying insight into the Father’s power and justices:  “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
• Jesus is disclosing the Father, knows everything, each thing done in public and even things done in secret.  There is no hiding from God.
• God also is keeping track of what we are doing:  not only does He know, but He remembers.
• God will reward those who truly love Him; those who don’t, will not have a reward.

Sometimes it makes sense to take a tip from an insider, from those in the know.  It is clear from the Gospel that insiders are often wrong.

Jesus Christ is never wrong, for He is the Divine Insider.