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Advice from Jesus Christ
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At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: "Whatever you do to become righteous, avoid doing it in front of men to get noticed. Otherwise, there is no reward for you with your Father in heaven.
So when you give alms, don't sound the trumpet before you, like the hypocrites who make a spectacle of themselves in the synagogues and in the streets, to get the glory that comes from men. Amen I say to you: they have received their reward.
But you, when you give alms, let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may remain in secret; your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
And when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites: they like to stand in synagogues and crossroads to show themselves to men when they pray. Amen I say to you: they have received their reward.
But you, when you pray, retire to your most secluded room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is present in secret; your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
And when you fast, don't look downcast, like the hypocrites: they put on a defeated face to show men that they are fasting. Amen I say to you: they have received their reward.
But you, when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face;
so your fasting will not be known to men, but only to your Father who is present in the most secret place; your Father who sees in the most secret place will repay you."
Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6:1-6.16-18.
Excerpt from the Liturgical Translation of the Bible - © AELF, Paris
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Advice from Saint Pierre Chrysologue (v. 406-450)
Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church
My brothers, today we begin the great voyage of Lent. Let us therefore carry in our ship all our provision of food and drink, placing on the chest the abundant mercy we shall need.
For our fasting is hungry, our fasting is thirsty, if it is not nourished by goodness, if it is not quenched by mercy. Our fasting is cold, our fasting fails, if the fleece of almsgiving does not cover it, if the garment of compassion does not envelop it.
Brethren, what spring is to the land, mercy is to fasting: the gentle spring wind makes all the buds of the plains blossom; the mercy of fasting makes all our seeds grow until they blossom, makes them bear fruit until the heavenly harvest.
What oil is to a lamp, kindness is to fasting.
As the fat of oil lights the lamp and, with such little food, makes it glow for the comfort of a whole night, so goodness makes fasting shine: it casts rays until it reaches the full brilliance of continence.
What the sun is to the day, almsgiving is to fasting: the splendor of the sun increases the brightness of the day, dispels the darkness of the clouds; almsgiving accompanying fasting sanctifies its sanctity and, thanks to the light of goodness, drives from our desires all that could be mortifying.
In short, what the body is to the soul, generosity is to fasting: when the soul withdraws from the body, it brings death; if generosity withdraws from fasting, it brings death. (to the soul)
Sermon 8; CCL 24, 59; PL 52, 208 (in L'évangile selon Matthieu commenté par les Pères; coll. PdF n°30; trans. B. Landry; Éd. DDB 1985, p. 59 rev.)
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