Hiddenness and communion

Matthew 6 : 1- 6, 16 - 18

...beware of practicing your piety before men....

Recently, someone I have not met for some time asked me how I am doing. I just mumbled ok and said something about taking more time off to rest. But at the back of my mind there was almost the 'need' to as it were to explain what I am doing - what I am involved in lately etc. Hmm, in my examen prayer I recognized again the need to speak of the do-ings rather than the be-ings. Actually I am still do-ing, but that pales in comparison to what the Lord is teaching me about be-ing, even in the doing.

This passage not only reminds us of the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and alms-giving but has an interesting slant. Jesus' point was actually about the hiddenness of these disciplines rather than about the disciplines themselves (which he assumes his hearers were practicing)!! But his hearers were practicing them in a 'show off' manner. I guess if we really spend much time in the prayer closet it should really be a hidden ministry - otherwise it would be showing off. Likewise for fasting that should be something between us and God. And also for alms giving, for any form of social service that we participate in. Practicing hiddenness is a hard discipline. We need to accept that others may think we are not being 'active' Christians, not playing our part in kingdom work. We need to hear the invitation clearly from God to continue praying and fasting and extending help even in situations that do not fit into scheduled 'church activities'.

On the other hand, are we looking for the 'rewards' mentioned? What might these be? Bigger mansions lined with gold in heaven? I believe that the most immediate 'reward' can be experienced even now. The blessing of living in quiet humility and hiddenness would be deep communion with God. It would be a sense of completeness in him alone, of wholeness, being filled with his fullness. Nothing else truly satisfies. Nothing else brings to completion the deep longings of our hearts.