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The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 1-8 reads:
Top Dog
Jesus opens by telling us that if we do our alms before men, we will have no reward from our Father in Heaven.
Why is this?
Remember that neither Heaven nor its Father are remote from us; both are always present. The Reward that the Father grants is the reward of Heaven, which is the eternal spiritual realm that shapes and gives meaning to physical existence.
Let's back up a bit.
Everything we do is informed by our intention. Everything we do has an effect, and every reaction provokes an immediate reaction. This is the basic law of existence, and it's also what is meant by the word karma. If we do an act of charity specifically to be seen by other human beings, this will have a specific effect, and that is to give us social power. Jesus has already shown us what the ultimate source of human social power is. "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."
The top dog in any dog pack is still a dog.
The Rewards of the Father
As sin is its own punishment, charity is its own reward. Moreover, both habitual sin and habitual charity have an enduring effect on the soul. The soul which habitual engages in acts of charity, mercy and kindness takes on a very different light from the soul that is habitual caught up in addiction, wrath, and vice. The internal state changes-- it feels very different to be a saint than to be a sinner-- but it goes beyond this. One finds that one's social environment and physical surroundings come to reflect the internal life, and things come unexpectedly from the outside in the form of sudden changes and chance encounters which confirm the state of the soul.
Vain Repetitions
Jesus enjoins against "vain repetitions." Christians of some schools take this to mean "never repeat anything" or "always pray extempore." This is incorrect, as demonstrated by the fact that Jesus immediately gives us a formula to use in prayer. Praying from a formula is not the same as vain repetition, and we can understand the difference easily if we consider our own lives. Most of us use the phrase "I love you" on a regular basis-- and if you don't, I'm sorry, and I hope you will get the chance to soon. "I love you" is probably one of the most commonly repeated phrases in the English language, but that does not make it a vain repetition-- rather, it is a very meaningful repetition.
"I love you" has a proper response: "I love you too." When you say "I love you" and don't receive "I love you too" in return, it feels bad. This is because "I love you," "I love you too" form an energetic circuit. The same is true of "Thank you" "You're welcome"; "I'm sorry" "That's okay"; and so on.
Now, any of these formulae can become vain repetitions. We can say "Thank you" and not mean it, we can say "I'm sorry" when we're really not. A cheater caught in the act might make an elaborate profession of love that he does not mean. In this way he is like the hypocrite piling up words on the street corner.
Go Within
Jesus tells us to go into our room and shut the door when we pray. In saying this he is teaching us the art of meditation. To meditate we need to find stillness and turn our attention inward. We connect to the Father, that is, to the eternal spirit which is within us and all things. And then we may say the words of the prayer he has given us-- mindfully, intentionally, never meaninglessly. We don't need to pile up words-- it is enough to simply connect to the Father.
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Top Dog
Jesus opens by telling us that if we do our alms before men, we will have no reward from our Father in Heaven.
Why is this?
Remember that neither Heaven nor its Father are remote from us; both are always present. The Reward that the Father grants is the reward of Heaven, which is the eternal spiritual realm that shapes and gives meaning to physical existence.
Let's back up a bit.
Everything we do is informed by our intention. Everything we do has an effect, and every reaction provokes an immediate reaction. This is the basic law of existence, and it's also what is meant by the word karma. If we do an act of charity specifically to be seen by other human beings, this will have a specific effect, and that is to give us social power. Jesus has already shown us what the ultimate source of human social power is. "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."
The top dog in any dog pack is still a dog.
The Rewards of the Father
As sin is its own punishment, charity is its own reward. Moreover, both habitual sin and habitual charity have an enduring effect on the soul. The soul which habitual engages in acts of charity, mercy and kindness takes on a very different light from the soul that is habitual caught up in addiction, wrath, and vice. The internal state changes-- it feels very different to be a saint than to be a sinner-- but it goes beyond this. One finds that one's social environment and physical surroundings come to reflect the internal life, and things come unexpectedly from the outside in the form of sudden changes and chance encounters which confirm the state of the soul.
Vain Repetitions
Jesus enjoins against "vain repetitions." Christians of some schools take this to mean "never repeat anything" or "always pray extempore." This is incorrect, as demonstrated by the fact that Jesus immediately gives us a formula to use in prayer. Praying from a formula is not the same as vain repetition, and we can understand the difference easily if we consider our own lives. Most of us use the phrase "I love you" on a regular basis-- and if you don't, I'm sorry, and I hope you will get the chance to soon. "I love you" is probably one of the most commonly repeated phrases in the English language, but that does not make it a vain repetition-- rather, it is a very meaningful repetition.
"I love you" has a proper response: "I love you too." When you say "I love you" and don't receive "I love you too" in return, it feels bad. This is because "I love you," "I love you too" form an energetic circuit. The same is true of "Thank you" "You're welcome"; "I'm sorry" "That's okay"; and so on.
Now, any of these formulae can become vain repetitions. We can say "Thank you" and not mean it, we can say "I'm sorry" when we're really not. A cheater caught in the act might make an elaborate profession of love that he does not mean. In this way he is like the hypocrite piling up words on the street corner.
Go Within
Jesus tells us to go into our room and shut the door when we pray. In saying this he is teaching us the art of meditation. To meditate we need to find stillness and turn our attention inward. We connect to the Father, that is, to the eternal spirit which is within us and all things. And then we may say the words of the prayer he has given us-- mindfully, intentionally, never meaninglessly. We don't need to pile up words-- it is enough to simply connect to the Father.
