Christianity & Religion

June 18, 2008 Reflection

2 Kgs 2, 1. 6-14; Mt 6, 1-6, 16-18



The Gospel mentions three things religion is usually associated with: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus learned these things himself. Didn't he say "The poor you will always have, but me you will not always have" (Jn 12, 8). This was when Mary (Lazarus' and Martha's sister) annointed her with expensive aromatic nard and Judas wished it were sold and given to the poor. We read of Jesus' going alone to the mountain to pray; and most especially, the 40 days he fasted after his baptism prior to his active ministry. In a way we can say that Jesus was every inch trained and lived a religious and pious life.



As he lived out these three things though, he saw how these became the leverage in one's relationship with God. Didn't he tell us how the Pharisee made it an object of pride before God and a reason to deride others - "...I thank you Lord for I am unlike this tax collector; I fast twice a week, pay tithes on all I get..." (Lk 18, 11-13). The legalese in religious behavior seems to make one so self-righteous as to forget that God cannot be manipulated by our religiosity. God remains to be God, simply an Other Whose acts are not effects of our acts. Yes, He hears our prayers and grants them when it is His will. What we do then in prayer is to seek for His will, giving time and space in our lives so that we become familiar and docile to His plans for us. Fasting then becomes sorrow for our sins, for the loss of the Savior in our lives. And almsgiving is not so that others may have some good impression of us, but that we may remember that whatever we have is not only for us.



The faith Christ came to sow in us then is one that makes us know Who God is and respect and fear Him and His ways. It calls us to master ourselves, and most of all reach out to those He gives us in our lives. In this way our religiosity becomes God Himself in our midst - generous, loving and forgiving.



"May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace and may the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen."

St. Arnold Janssen