February 18th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
‘Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

 ‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
 ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Reflection
Face it and be humble. Humility is a trait to be desired. Having hope in something other than yourself is a great place to start.

You are a child of God. God loves you. Both of these statements are true. But they are also true of all humanity. God created all that exists. All we have is a gift from God. The good, the bad, all of it is a gift from God. How can the bad be a gift from God? When you fast it hurts. You are weakened in one sense but strengthened in another sense. You realize what gifts God has given you and you appreciate God's presence in those gifts and in your life that much more.

So, today. as we remember the words... remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. Let us feel the grit of the pain that came shortly after the celebration of the palms on Palm Sunday as we rejoiced in Jesus trip into Jerusalem those many years ago. And let us remember the sacrifice that Jesus paid for all humanity. All of us... not one is left out in this sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross.

Yes, we feel the grit and see the dark ash of palm leaves mixed with that same baptismal oil and a different kind of cross is placed upon our forehead. A black cross that reminds us of death and pain yet salvation and love.

That's how the bad can be a gift from God! What God has done for you and for me and for all the people of this earth yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever has changed from bad, to good and gracious love. Not through what we have done. But through what God has done.

So we seek to know God. We seek out God with thankful yet penitent hearts. We remember yet we live out the hope. We wander in the desert knowing the hope of God will be before our eyes.

Even as we feel that mixture of the ashes of joyous palm leaves and the oil. Let the grit upon our foreheads become the oil of our baptism in eternal life through Jesus our Savior.

Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rR_Rdb1CTE
Chris Tomlin - I Lift My Hands

Prayer
Lord, as I remember let me live out the hope you have prepared for me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen