MATTHEW 6:1–8, 16–18
FASTING, CHARITY, PRAYER
Introduction
During the holy season of the Great Fast, the Church invites us to renew the three classic works of penitence: charity, prayer, and fasting. Jesus does not reject these practices; He purifies them. He exposes a spiritual danger that can ruin even good deeds—doing them for human applause rather than for God. The Lord teaches that the true measure of devotion is not public appearance but the hidden sincerity of the heart. When charity, prayer, and fasting are offered with humility, they become a path of conversion that restores the soul, heals relationships, and prepares us to receive grace more deeply at the altar.
Bible Passage (Matthew 6:1–8, 16–18)
“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. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“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.”
Background
These verses begin a new portion within the Sermon on the Mount. After Jesus taught the higher righteousness of the Kingdom—purifying anger, desire, speech, and relationships—He now addresses religious practice itself. The Old Testament already praised almsgiving, prayer, and fasting as authentic expressions of covenant life, especially in times of repentance and crisis. Yet by Jesus’ time, some had turned these works into displays of status. Jesus restores them to their true purpose: not self-promotion, but a hidden offering to the Father who alone sees the heart.
Opening Life Connection
Many people struggle with a subtle temptation: we want to be seen as good. Even in spiritual things, we can begin to measure our value by recognition—likes, compliments, reputation, or praise. Yet we also know how empty that feels. A life built on appearances becomes exhausting. Jesus offers freedom: do good without needing to be noticed. When our charity is sincere, our prayer is real, and our fasting is humble, the Father’s peace enters the soul quietly—like grace entering a sealed room.
Verse-by-Verse / Phrase-by-Phrase Reflection
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.”
Jesus does not condemn righteous deeds; He condemns the motive of performing them for display. The same act can be holy or hollow depending on the intention.
“Otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”
If we choose human praise as our reward, we should not be surprised when heaven is not our aim. God does not “owe” recompense for performance.
“When you give alms… they have received their reward.”
Jesus unmasks hypocrisy: charity used to purchase admiration. The applause becomes the full payment.
“Do not let your left hand know what your right is doing.”
This is a vivid call to interior simplicity: give so quietly that even the ego is not fed by the act.
“Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
The Father’s gaze is not surveillance; it is loving attention. He sees the hidden sacrifice, the unseen generosity, and the private struggle.
“When you pray… go to your inner room, close the door.”
Prayer must include personal communion with God. Public worship is sacred, but the heart also needs a hidden place where it speaks to the Father honestly.
“Do not babble… Your Father knows what you need.”
Jesus forbids empty verbosity, not faithful persistence. True prayer is not manipulating God with many words, but trusting Him as Father.
“When you fast… do not look gloomy.”
Fasting is not theatre. The disciple does not use suffering to gain moral superiority over others.
“Anoint your head and wash your face.”
Appear ordinary. Let the sacrifice be real, but let it remain between you and God—so that love, not pride, governs the practice.
Jewish Historical and Religious Context
Almsgiving was deeply connected to righteousness in Israel’s covenant life, and caring for the poor was seen as fidelity to God’s will. Prayer included set times and communal worship, but also personal devotion. Fasting was practiced especially on penitential occasions and in times of national danger. Jesus speaks within this tradition yet corrects a distortion: the temptation to use sacred practices as public proof of holiness.
Catholic Tradition and Teaching
The Church continues to hold prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as the pillars of penitential renewal, especially in Lent. They belong together: fasting without prayer becomes self-reliance; prayer without charity becomes self-deception; charity without prayer risks becoming mere philanthropy. The Catechism teaches that prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God and emphasizes humility as its foundation (CCC 2559). True Christian penance is conversion of heart expressed in concrete practices, and these practices train the soul in freedom from sin and attachment.
Historical or Saintly Illustration
Saint Francis of Assisi is a luminous example of “hidden reward.” He practiced radical simplicity, not to be admired, but to belong wholly to Christ. His almsgiving was not occasional charity but a life poured out. His prayer was not performance but communion. His fasting was not gloom but love. The fruit was unmistakable: peace, joy, and a witness that continues to convert hearts.
Application to Christian Life Today
This Gospel calls for a change of intention and a change of habit. Give quietly, without announcing it. Pray daily in a “closed-door” way—real time with God without distractions. Fast with dignity and normalcy, and use what is saved in time, money, and energy for mercy. In families, this means making sacrifices without demanding recognition. In parish life, it means serving without seeking status. In personal holiness, it means choosing God’s approval over human praise.
Eucharistic Connection
At every Mass, the Father receives the perfect hidden offering: Christ’s self-gift. The Eucharist teaches us how to live these three practices rightly. Charity flows from communion because we receive the Lord who gives Himself. Prayer deepens because we encounter Christ truly present. Fasting gains meaning because it becomes desire for God—hunger that points to the Bread of Life. Strengthened at the altar, we are sent to live quietly for God’s glory.
Messages / Call to Conversion
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Choose God’s reward over human praise in charity, prayer, and fasting.
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Let charity be secret, respectful, and motivated by love, not reputation.
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Build a daily habit of hidden prayer that forms the heart.
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Fast with sincerity—without gloom, without display, and with real conversion.
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Unite fasting with prayer and mercy so it becomes spiritual renewal, not mere diet.
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Use the Great Fast to heal relationships and grow in humble holiness.
Outline for Preachers (Printable – Bullet Form)
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Transition in the Sermon: from moral righteousness to purified piety
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Three pillars: almsgiving, prayer, fasting—one spirit, one goal
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Warning: hypocrisy and public display
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Secret charity: dignity of the poor and purity of intention
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Secret prayer: inner room, trust in the Father
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Secret fasting: normal appearance, true repentance
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Jewish roots of the three practices
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Catholic integration: Lent, conversion, humility, mercy
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Eucharist: source of charity, prayer, and sacrifice
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Call to conversion: do good for God alone
