Non nobis, Domine

The following is my brief homily for yesterday, Wednesday of the 11 week of Ordinary Time.

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Reading: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

This is one of those Gospel passages in which Jesus stands human wisdom on its head….and by doing so leaves the world shaking its collective head. His words certainly ran counter to what the Jews of His time believed. For them, the three practices Jesus mentions – almsgiving, prayer and fasting – were the three major signs of piety, the pillars of holiness. After all, what good are signs if they can’t be seen? How can a person be an example of piety if he hides the good that he does?

Jesus knows His disciples are silently asking these questions, and so He tells them bluntly that the motives behind their actions are more important than the actions themselves. And at the same time He subtly reminds them of the vast difference between them and their God, that they are really powerless when it comes to the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation, that it is God working through them that brings about good in the world. 

And so, He asks, “Why do you do good?” So others will notice you and think well of you? To give yourself an inflated sense of your own worth? To make yourself feel good? Are these your motives?

Occasionally I reach for my battered copy of Pascal’s Pensées, a book filled with hundreds of inspiring thoughts, just to see if something strikes home. When I did that a few weeks ago, my eyes were drawn to this one brief sentence: “It is better not to fast and so be humbled, than to fast and be self-satisfied.” In other words, if your motives are self-serving, you’d be better off doing nothing.

Of course the Little Flower, St. Therese, echoed this when she wrote, “Offer God the sacrifice of never gathering any fruit off your own tree.”

Hard to do, isn’t it? Perhaps even harder for us today than for those 1st-century Jews. You see, the Word of God is always counter to the word of the world. And the world tells us always to take credit – and like the politician, even when its undeserved. Market yourself! Sell yourself! And don’t worry about those little “problem” areas. You can always apply a little spin, and turn the bad into good. After all, in today’s world sin no longer exists. Heavens! The very idea of sin only leads to guilt, and guilt…well, too much of that can do a number on one's self-esteem.

Countering all this is the Word, Jesus Christ preached through His Church, and telling His people that true piety is nothing less than loving God.

…that everything we do should be done for God’s glory, not our own.

…that we don’t give alms to make ourselves feel good, but to do God’s work so He can bring about His Kingdom.

…that we don’t fast as a display of piety, but as an offering, a sharing in Christ’s sacrifice.

…that we don’t pray just to obtain favors from God, but to praise Him for His works, and thank Him for our very being.

Then, and only then, we can join the psalmist as he prayed, "Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da gloriam…"

Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory…