THE PROPER MANNER OF ALMSGIVING

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.

PRAYER
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.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

FASTING
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

PUT GOD'S KINGDOM FIRST
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

1Take heed that yee doe not your almes before men, to bee seene of them: otherwise yee haue no reward of your father which is in heauen.

2Therefore, when thou doest thine almes, doe not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites doe, in the Synagogues, and in the streetes, that they may haue glory of men. Uerily, I say vnto you, they haue their reward.

3But when thou doest almes, let not thy left hand know, what thy right doeth:

4That thine almes may be in secret: And thy father which seeth in secret, himselfe shall reward thee openly.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they loue to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seene of men. Uerily I say vnto you, they haue their reward.

6But thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

7But when yee pray, vse not vaine repetitions, as the heathen doe. For they thinke that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8Be not yee therefore like vnto them: For your father knoweth what things yee haue neede of, before yee aske him.

9After this maner therefore pray yee: Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name.

10Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heauen.

11Giue vs this day our daily bread.

12And forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debters.

13And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill: For thine is the kingdome, and the power, and the glory, for euer, Amen.

14For, if yee forgiue men their trespasses, your heauenly father will also forgiue you.

15But, if yee forgiue not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgiue your trespasses.

16 Moreouer, when yee fast, be not as the Hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appeare vnto men to fast: Uerily I say vnto you, they haue their reward.

17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face:

18That thou appeare not vnto men to fast, but vnto thy father which is in secret: and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

19 Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where theeues breake thorow, and steale.

20But lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, & where theeues doe not breake thorow, nor steale.

21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22The light of the body is the eye: If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shalbe full of light.

23But if thine eye be euill, thy whole body shall be full of darknesse. If therfore the light that is in thee be darkenesse, how great is that darkenesse?

24 No man can serue two masters: for either he will hate the one and loue the other, or else hee will holde to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serue God and Mammon.

25Therfore I say vnto you, Take no thought for your life, what yee shall eate, or what ye shall drinke, nor yet for your body, what yee shall put on: Is not the life more then meate? and the body then raiment?

26Behold the foules of the aire: for they sow not, neither do they reape, nor gather into barnes, yet your heauenly father feedeth them. Are yee not much better then they?

27Which of you by taking thought, can adde one cubite vnto his stature?

28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they toile not, neither doe they spinne.

29And yet I say vnto you, that euen Solomon in all his glory, was not arayed like one of these.

30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grasse of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the ouen: shall he not much more clothe you, O yee of little faith?

31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eate? or, what shall we drinke? or wherewithall shall wee be clothed?

32(For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke:) for your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue neede of all these things.

33But seeke ye first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and all these things shalbe added vnto you.

34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe: sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof.

 

I == Deut 24:13 ; Ps 112:9 ; Dan 4:27 ; 2nd Cor 9:9-10 ; Matt 23:5

 

II == Rom 12:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV == Col 3:23-24 ; Luke 14:14

 

 

V == MK 11:25 ; LK 18:10-14

 

 

 

 

VI == 2nd Kings 4:33

 

 

 

VII == 1st Kings 18:25-29 ; Eccl 5:2

 

VIII == Matt 6:32 ; Luke 12:30

 

 

IX == Luke 11:2-4

 

X == Ps 103:20-21 ; Matt 26:39 . 42 ; Acts 21:14

XI == Job 23:12 ; Prov 30:9

XII == Matt 18:21-22

XIII == Matt 26:41 ; Luke 22:40 , 46 ; John 17:15 ; 2nd Thess 3:3 ; James 1:13 ; Rev 3:10

 

XIV == Mark 11:25-26 ; Eph 4:32 ; Col 3:13

 

XV == Matt 18:35 ; James 2:13

 

XVI == Isa 58:5

 

 

 

 

XVII == Ruth 3:3 ; Dan 10:3

XVIII == Matt 6:4 , 6

 

 

 

XIX == Prov 23:4 ; 1st tim 6:17

 

 

XX == Matt 19:21 ; Luke 12:34 , 36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Luke 16:13 ; 1st Time 6:17

 

 

XXV == Luke 12:22-23 ; Phil 4:6

 

 

 

XXVI == Job 38:41 ; Ps 147:9 ; Luke 12:24-34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == 1st Kings 10:4-7

 

XXX == Matt 8:26 ; 14:31 ; 16:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIII == Matt 19:28 ; Mark 10: 28-30 ; Luke 12:31 ; 1st Tim 4:8

 

 

 

 

 

1 "(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 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. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 "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. 6 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. 7 In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. 14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. 16 "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. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be. 24 "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

YOUR JUSTICE THAT IS: Works of Justice; viz, almsdeeds, fasting, and prayer; which ought to be performed not to have a view to please men, not out of ostentation, but solely to please God.

Verses 1-4 Almsgiving

v 1-4. Alms are good deeds, but if done for praise of man, God will not reward us. We only receive praise once, so if man praise you then God will not reward you. Prediction of the Savior concerning His resurrection Mt. 6:4

2-3 The giving of alms wasn't required by law, So special merit was attached to it.

v 5-8. Do not pray for show as the Pharisees using long repetitive phrases to gain praise of men. God already knows our needs, but it pleases Him to have us ask, that we may receive, 7:1. The Pharisees were hypocrites with: 1 Public offerings 2 Public prayers 3 Fasting.

v 9-15. What we call the Lord’s prayer was really taught to the disciples so they would know how to pray.

Matthew adds to the prayer a further statement: Importances of Forgiving One another as a pre-Condition for receiving divine forgiveness.

SUPERSUBSTANTIAL BREAD: It is rendered daily bread in Luke, and is understood to be the bread of live, we receive in the Blessed Sacrament. (Catholic Teaching)

v 16-18. Fasting denies the flesh but fasting for show glorifies the flesh, not God.

MT 6:19 CONCERNING TREASURES

V 19-34 Piety as it Expresses Itself in a Life of Complete Trust and Freedom from Care.

v 19-24. Our attitude toward wealth is an indication of our righteousness. The Pharisees eyes were not healthy because they were centered on wealth. Their hearts were full of greed. Despise is to think little of either greed (not simply money) or God.

 

MT 6:22 THE SOUND EYE

MT 6:24 SERVING TWO MASTERS

MT 6:25 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS

v 25-34 Those focused on money have not learned to live by faith. We should live prudently but not worry. If we have faith and have done what we should, God will care for us. God created flowers, birds and all creation with design. He designed a perfect salvation and designed us to serve Him and for what we are to do tomorrow.