Trumpeting

I love today’s Gospel in which Jesus bookends the Our Father by providing gentle, yet pointed, instructions for how to pray and indeed, how to cultivate a spiritual life.

Human beings need affirmation, even the most retiring among us, and many crave attention, which is not the same thing. Jesus was remarking on the ostentatious piety of people who make sure their good deeds are noticed by others. Jesus isn’t saying that they are wrong to pray, give alms or fast, what He does say is, if it’s the admiration of their peers they want most, they will get it here on earth where it stays. It reminds me of the tissue paper we leave on the floor under the Christmas tree: the packaging redundant, what counts is the content.

Faith is relationship, with others, ourselves and with God. God doesn’t love us from a distance. It is, in fact, the most intimate relationship we have. Jesus proves that. Imagine Him saying that he wants to be alone with us, that he wants to see us “in secret”. Those are terms used by lovers

Elijah noted that God is not in the earthquake or the fire but in the “still, small voice.” Would that we are not so busily blowing our own trumpets that we miss it.