Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 15, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Humility is a difficult virtue for many of us to embrace, especially those who might be type A, over-achieving graduates of one of the nation’s top universities. The world tells us to highlight our good deeds on social media, pursue awards for community service, and have our names placed on as many plaques and buildings as possible. For a culture that screams at us “boost your image,” humility is seen as a weakness.
While today’s gospel can feel a little uncomfortable, this is not just a challenging command, but a window into God’s nature. “Except to your Father who is hidden.” Our Father, despite being all-powerful, chooses to be hidden and directs our actions to be hidden too.
Our God is a God of humility. In the greatest act of charity, Christ came down to earth as a tiny baby in a poor stable. He spent the first thirty years of life in private. He suffered the most shameful execution method of the day: crucifixion. And then left us the greatest gift of the Eucharist—his flesh and blood, hidden from our eyes under the appearance of simple bread and wine.
God does not direct us to practice humility to show that we are horrible sinners, unworthy of attention or praise. It is quite the opposite. God wants us to be humble and hidden because that is the most authentic reflection of God’s nature.
If we are God’s people, made in his image and likeness, we will also be people of humility. God promises our rewards will be far greater than the pride of any earthly acclaim. We can look to the humility of the cross and the glory of Easter and take hope. No matter what the world thinks, our God is indeed a God of hidden glory and will raise us to glory too.
Prayer
My God, Our Father, we are tempted to do good to others from mixed motives. We want to be helpful; we want to be recognized and somehow rewarded. Let it be enough in our hearts to know we have tried to love you in whatever we do, whether in our hidden prayers for others or our kindness and service as well. We pray with the Church through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Edburga was the daughter of Saxon king, Edward the Elder of England, and was born in the early tenth century, around 920 AD, before the Norman Conquest of England. In the twelfth century, a legend of her life was written down by Osbert de Clare.
According to this legend, when Edburga was only three years old, her father was trying to decide whether she would be called to live in the world or as a religious sister. On one side of the table, he placed rings and bracelets, and on the other, a chalice and a book of the Gospels. When Edburga was brought in to the room, she reached for the chalice and the book.
Edburga was given over to the monastery that her mother sponsored, St. Mary's Abbey in Winchester. Edburga received her education there and stayed to profess vows.
In the monastery, Edburga did not seek special treatment on account of her noble lineage, although that was common practice at the time. Instead, she delighted in cleaning the shoes of the other wealthy nuns. Some tales say she washed their stockings for them while everyone else slept. Her humility led her to occasionally receive unjust punishments, but she accepted them gladly.
St. Edburga died on June 15, between the years 950 and 960. Veneration of this good and holy prioress began almost instantly after her death, and she was canonized in 972.
St. Edburga of Winchester, who chose religious life over the royal court—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Edburga of Winchester is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. Last accessed March 18, 2025 on British Royal Family Wiki.