Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
June 16, 2021
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 367
Reading I
Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1b) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Reflection: ADDICTION TO APPLAUSE AND PRAISE
A parish priest told his parish organist: "Sir, you play the organ in the spirit of the Gospel!" "Thank you, father," exuded the organist. "Hold on," replied the priest. "What I mean is that your right hand is unaware of what your left hand is doing!" Should we make our good works known or not? Yes and No! It all depends on the motive. When I do it to edify others, help the poor and glorify God then it is good. Self-glorification is absent as a motive. Mother Teresa's works were known, Church donations are made known, standing up for a public cause should be publicized. The motive is to induce others too to do likewise. It must be done in humility, and for sake of love. This is called witness! When I do it to boost my ego, to hog the lime-light, to gain advantage, to put down the other, etc. what is promoted is the 'Self and not the good of the other or the Glory of God. Political freebie distribution for publicity, Church donations for getting their names on the plaques, prayers for a flatter on the stage are of this kind. It is good to acknowledge that most of what we do is meant to be noticed by others! We are addicted to praise and applause! What is the use otherwise, we feel! What we enjoy is the return we get, not the act itself. It is a pity that we even try to cheat God this way, and ourselves, in our life of piety. But we are what we truly are, not when we write 'yours truly' at the bottom of letters, but by what we are when no one else sees us!