Publicity Vs Spiritual benefits

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eleventh Week : Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mt 6:1-6, 16-18*

*First Reading : 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14*

*Publicity Vs Spiritual benefits*

*1) Three Pillars of Christian Spirituality*

The Gospel of the day calls us to reflect about the three important pillars of Christian spirituality and its importance and significance in our life 

The three important pillars are 

*Prayer* Which connects a human being to God and it works as a channel of  God's blessings and graces 

*Fasting* This is also very important to gain self control of our body, which helps a person to direct the whole self towards what is spiritual, enduring and eternal. It also helps a person to fight against the bodily temptations and the greed for material things 

*Almsgiving* This helps us to cultivate the virtue of generosity and to help the needy ones 

All these three spiritual activities have tremendous influence in our life and changing, shaping and moulding our life. 

Therefore they are called the three strong pillars of Christian spirituality

*2) The Syndrome of Publicity*

The modern world suffers from the syndrome of publicity 

Anything that is done today needs to be published for various reasons 

In this fever of publicity, the spiritual activities are also sold for the personal gains 

Such an attitude is condemned by Jesus in today's Gospel

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving which is done only for the sake of publicity and personal selfish gains like name and fame, become useless 

When the spiritual things are done for the sake of publicity, loses its spiritual benefits and it becomes an useless exercise

Jesus warns us about such an useless and futile spiritual  exercise and not to become the victim of such useless things 

*3) The Spiritual benefits*

When these things are done with a real and genuine intentions they have tremendous spiritual benefits 

In this regard Jesus tells us to aviod, first of all, the sickness of publicity. Instead we need to do these things in secret,  with out any publicity

*4) Reward from God and from Human beings*

There are two ways of getting the rewards for the above things 

We can receive rewards from God or from others 

If we want to get rewards from others, then we will not be eligible for the rewards from God 

If we are not rewarded for our genuine work by others, its reward certainly will come from God. 

Reward from God is enduring and eternal. Reward from other remain only for few moments and nothing remains

We need to choose between these two and act accordingly 

*5) Where do I stand*

What is my stand? 

What is the intention of doing the above things? Is it for cheap popularity, publicity or to attain the selfish hidden goals? 

Am I doing these things to have more and deeper experience of God?

Am I observing these things to practice the Gospel values with the intention to inspire others and to serve them?

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*