GENUINE PRAYER, FASTING AND ALMS GIVING! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Wednesday, 15th June 2016,

Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time

2Kgs 2:1, 6-14;

Ps 30:20-21, 24;

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

GENUINE PRAYER, FASTING AND ALMS GIVING!

The Jews considered prayer, fasting and alms giving as the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of this self-seeking glory. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is the gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things.

The Jews were noted for their devotion to prayer. Formal prayer was prescribed for three set times a day. And the rabbis had a prayer for every occasion. Jesus warns his disciples against formalism, making prayer something mechanical and devoid of meaning, with little thought for God. In the prayer that Jesus has taught us we dare call God ‘our Father’ and boldly ask for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters. It is through the gift of the Holy Spirit that we can know God personally and call him ‘Abba, Father’ (Rom 8: 15). When we ask God for help, he fortunately does not give us what we deserve. Instead, he responds with grace and mercy. He is kind and forgiving towards us and he expects us to treat our neighbor in the same way. Do you treat others as they deserve, or do you treat them as the Lord would with grace and mercy?

Prayer: Lord, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love for You. Amen.