Hidden

Homily for Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Lent

The mindfulness trigger for today is not explicitly mentioned in any of the readings, but it is definitely implied. Today, we hear Jesus say of the scribes and the Pharisees: “All their works are performed to be seen.” Of course, Jesus is telling us that we should not perform acts of charity so that others can see them.

In the Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Jesus told us to pray in our inner room, to give alms, so that our left-hand did not know what the right hand was doing, and to fast without disfiguring our faces so that others would know that we were fasting. Acts of charity, alms giving, prayer, and fasting are to be hidden. So, throughout the day, let us contemplate the hidden nature of our Lenten practices.

The reason that Jesus gives for this kind of hidden practice is to find ourselves growing in humility. People who act so that others can see what they are doing by way of charity or prayer or fasting are actually exalting themselves rather than humbling themselves.

Jesus comes to us today in the humble elements of bread and wine, food for our Lenten journey. As we make our way to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.