[__01__] Is it not
an aspect, a characteristic of youthfulness, an aspect or characteristic of
being “cool”, and also a strategy of being competitive, that we would be able
to conceal our true intentions, our true motives?
It
is part of the Good News today that our GIVING, our PRAYING, and our FASTING ….
May be concealed may be hidden.
It
is good news to be hidden.
[__02__] Jesus is not asking us to be nonchalant or
indifferent in our Lenten practices of these 40 days, but rather to be calm,
collected and, if possible, a bit concealed about our true motives.
In
charitable giving, he says, do not let your left hand know what your right is
doing. (cf., Matthew 6:3) While we use this expression to criticize, for example,
a scenario of mismanagement or disorganization, the Lord is asking us to
consider that – during Lent – not everything needs to be revealed. It is good
news to be hidden.
[__03__] Our Savior’s message is not only about the
sacrifices and the efforts of these 40 days of Lent but also of the importance of
doing these things with a spirit of calm and of tranquility.
[__04__] In the
first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul about the importance of detachment
to material things, of using these things as though we are not using them. (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:31).
Or of having as though we do not have or
possess anything.
In this regard, we can manifest – or
demonstrate – a spirit of calm and tranquility. It is good news to be hidden.
[__05__] I think we are familiar with this practice –
this way of acting – in other aspects of our lives.
For
example, in school – or at work – we want to achieve but we may also be
inclined not to reveal to our classmates how hard we are working.
We
study as though we are not studying.
And, it is – in a way – good news to be hidden. It is the tranquil way,
the peaceful way… and we may end up appearing “cooler” and more collected to
others.
It
is good news to be hidden.
[__06__] In sports, a coach or a team does not want the
other team to know the strategy, the plan.
It is also true that a team would try to conceal – from the other team –
if they were in disarray or difficulty … They want to work but do not
necessarily need to advertise how hard they are working.
The great UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden,
taught his guards and forwards that they should work hard but not make it look
too difficult ..his famous saying was “run, but don’t hurry”. UCLA was wildly successful with this
strategy.
It is good news to be in hiding – or Jesus
says in the Gospel about prayer … to go to our Father in secret. (cf. Matthew
6:6)
[__07__] So, there
are ways in which we live and compete and in which we do not reveal everything
we are doing.
In
this Gospel of Ash Wednesday, we are called to use even the spiritual gifts of
God as though we were not using them.
It
is good news to be hidden, to pray as though we are not praying, to fast as
though we are not fasting, to give charitably as though we are not giving.
[__08__] TO PRAY AS THOUGH WE ARE NOT PRAYING.
We could recall the importance of integrating
prayer into our lives at the very times we are busiest or distracted.
Consider a prayer at least once in the
morning or the early part of the day, to put God’s prayer into our calendar,
our agenda, our to-do list not so that we appear to be praying but that we are
praying constantly (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:16?)
and putting our agenda before God.
Also at night, when we feel tired, when we
are either anxious or relieved at the day’s events, to make this a prayer and
examination of our lives as well.
[__09__] TO FAST AS
THOUGH WE ARE NOT FASTING.
We
could remember that there are sacrifices we can make in our speech, our words,
in conversation …
We
can make sacrifices (fasts) by what we say and do not say.
Perhaps,
no one will notice.
It
is good news to be hidden.
[__10__] TO GIVE
CHARITABLY AS THOUGH WE WERE NOT GIVING.
In
this, we are called simply to be open to the next opportunity to endeavor to be
kind, charitable to those who cannot repay us, to those may observe the effect of what we are doing but
may not recognize you or me as the cause.
It
is good news to be hidden.
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