St Matthew, Chapter 6, verses: 16 - 18, The Sermon on the Mount: Fast in secret and not before men.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

We continue or paragraph discussion with today's topic: (Fasting). 

This topic, fasting, comes at a time when most people are making preparation for family gatherings, good food, gift openings, and fun.  People are feasting during the Christmas Holidays and not fasting.  Christ, in this sermon, tells us what we should do when we fast.  He begins by saying:  "And when you fast,".   The statement assumes that we will fast.  It tells us that Christ knows that we will fast and that we should follow these instructions when we do. 

Do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, he tells us.  Do not disfigure our face as the hypocrites do.  Instead, wash the face and anoint the head with oils to show that you are alive and upbeat.  Show to the public that you are living as normal and keep the spiritual practices that you do in secret to yourself .  It is not for the public that you fast.  It is not for the public that  you seek to gain recognition.  It is for your Father in heaven that you secretly fast, who's recognition you seek.  He will know your secret.  He will know the truth in your heart and the joy with which you fast because it is his secret and yours.  It is your secret that you seek to come closer to him in what you do.  It is your secret that you would sacrifice the things of this world to do the things for him.  It is your secret that through the fast, you find joy and happiness, and peace.  It is your secret that you bring your physical body under control and deny it the daily pleasure that it wants.  It is your secret that you allow yourself to suffer the pains of withdrawal from the foods that you eat.

It is God's secret that he sets aside gifts for you in heaven.  It is God's secret that he rejoices in your love for him.  It is God's secret that he finds your actions pleasing to him.  It is God's secret that through your actions he knows your love for him.  For Christ tells us, in this sermon, that our Father in heaven will see what we do in secret and will reward us.

Let us take a moment in this time of joyous celebration to remember those less fortunate than ourselves, those that are suffering through this holiday season.  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God for all of the blessings that he has given us.  Christ came to live among us to teach us how to live according to God's principles.  Give a gift to those who do not have.  Give a donation to the needy.  Give a helping hand to those who ask in this time of giving.  Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help the suffering.  This is the season of giving.  Let our giving extend to all in this joyous season.     

St Matthew, Chapter 6, verses: 7 - 15, The Sermon on the Mount: The Lord's Prayer.

Today's paragraph topic is:  (The Lord's Prayer). 

Certain topics in the scriptures are so popular that they do not need explanation.  Today's topic is one.  We learn it from infancy.  We repeat it throughout our lives.  We know it without thinking about the words.  It is a part of our culture.  It was once in our schools.  It is repeated at public events and is accepted as part of the American tradition, almost.  Today, we find that the American way allows for other religious beliefs and therefore prevents this prayer from being expressed as freely today.

Christ tells us in this sermon, to not multiply words as the gentiles do.  It is not necessary to be wordy to get God's attention, therefore we should only speak what is in our hearts.  He tells us that God already knows what we need.  This may not be what we want, but he already knows what we need.  We may be selfish in our wants and differ from what God wants to give us.  We may seek other thing that may not be good for us but they provide satisfy our passions and supply our desires.  We may think that it is important to say a great deal, in many words, that God will provide for us the things that we want, but God knows already what we need. 

Christ gives us exact instructions on how to pray.  He says, when you pray, pray thus:  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.  12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   These are the instructions that Christ gives to us as to how we should pray.  We should first acknowledge that God is our father and that there is a place called heaven where God dwells. We should acknowledge that his name is sacred and honored, hallowed be thy name. We should next recognize that God has a kingdom and ask that it will manifest itself on earth. With the coming of the kingdom, we should also pray that his will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Man has free will to do as he pleases. But we exercise that freedom, as Christians, by espousing that God's will be done on earth. We pray that we do his will and that others do the same also. 

We then ask for our sustenance, our bread, to provide for our bodies, and we ask daily for this provision.  We plead with God to forgive us our debts.  We ask that he not hold our debts against us.  We in turn pledge to forgive others their debts as they have transgressed against us.  We ask God to deliver us from the evil of this world and to assure us that we are not led into any temptation that would separate us from his love.   These are the instructions that Christ gives to us as to how we should pray to our heavenly Father.  Christ further stipulates the importance of forgiveness.  For if we forgive others their offenses then we express our sameness with God, acknowledging that we are his children and we have the capacity for mercy and forgiveness the same as he does.  We are not prideful children.  We are not vengeful children.  We are humble sons and daughters of God, and this is our reason for prayer.  Thank you father for teaching us how to pray.







 

St Matthew, Chapter 6, verses: 5 - 6, The Sermon on the Mount: Pray to thy Father in Secret.

Today;s paragraph heading is:  (Prayer). 

Christ continues to give us examples of things that we should not do that will cause us to loose our reward with God.  We started this chapter with Christ telling us that our intentions should be pure.  Just as in the previous paragraph he told us to do our good in secret, he tells us in this paragraph to pray in secret also.  He tells us to not be like hypocrites, where we pray standing in the synagogue and on street corners to be seen by men.  Why do we need the approval and acceptance of men to pray?  Why is it necessary to be recognized by others that we do good?  Is it because the truth of our beliefs is not real?  Is it because we need the support of others to believe in ourselves? 

Faith requires that we believe in something that is not evident.  It requires that we know and are able to act upon what we say that we believe.  Trust is faith in action, and the strength of our actions demonstrates the strength of our trust and the depth of our faith.  If our faith is week then our actions will be shallow.  If our trust is unfounded then our actions will be narrow and limited and will require support from others.  Insane people talk to themselves, see things that others do not see, and believe things that are not real.  Faith is part insanity because it requires us to believe something that has very little support.  Yet God is real.  God does provide.  And God reveals himself to those who seek him.  So if we seek the knowledge of God earnestly, he will daily give us the truth that we need to know him and the support that we need to believe in him.  Then our beliefs will be true and our actions will be real. 

So we pray in our hearts because we know that God is real.  We pray in private because we know that our prayers will be answered and that God hears us.  We pray because we give thanks to God daily, sometimes hourly, for the things that he does for us, for the love that he shows us.  We sing in private because we are filled with the love of his presence within us, and around us, and upon us.  This is the God that Christ wants us to know when he instructs us to do things in secret.  He knows that our God listens to each one of us.  Christ knows that his Father will reward us because his love is within us and because his love does not need the support of others to confirm our actions and our beliefs. 

Holy Father, God in heaven, grant us thy will, that we may be better persons in your sight.  Grant us your knowledge that we may know your perfect will for us.  Help us to see your love in ourselves and that same love within our brothers and sisters, whether they are saved or lost.  For it is you who created the heavens and the earth, the stars and the moon, and the universe.  It is you who sends the rains that give life to the earth.  It is you who makes the sun shine on the good and the bad.  It is you who causes the wind to blow in the summer and the winter.  And Father, it is you who will judge the earth at the end of time.  Help us to be watchful daily that we may be prepared when you call us home, that we may rejoice being with you in heaven.  We give you all the praise and the glory, in Jesus Christ's name.   Amen.