Demonstrating Faith

Gospel: Matthew 6: 1-6; 16-18

We hear a great deal about demonstrating our faith in the world.  To some, this means quite literally engaging in demonstration: being out on street corners with signs, religious attire and affectations, yelling various slogans.  For them it means media empires and the never ending culture wars of demonization and condemnation.  This way of demonstration inspires no one to a life of faith; it leads only to greater secularization and repugnance toward religion.  

Then there are people who bring communion to hospital patients each day; people who cook daily at the local soup kitchen; the volunteer who drives an hour one way each week to visit prison inmates; the mom at her rocking chair at 5am quietly praying the Office while everyone is asleep.  These people are unknown to us all.  Christian media empires will never recognize these folks, but it is these who keep faith alive in the world, keep religion relevant in people's lives.  

To live the Beatitudes is to be the second kind of Christian, to provide a demonstration of faith that shows forth meekness, purity of heart, lowliness, peacemaking, hunger for justice.  This second way is the way of the Lord Jesus who served others and avoided exalting crowds.  Jesus only spent one day overturning tables, but a lifetime serving others in quiet humility.