Wednesday 1st April Message

Wednesday 1st April Message

Dear Reader

‘All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely actors. (William Shakespeare)

You may ask ‘have I lost my marbles’ quoting Shakespeare early in the morning?

Well actually no!  I’m no dafter today than I was yesterday. I think!! Being locked in, however, nobody would know.
Jesus was confronted regularly and engaged in some serious arguments with a bunch of actors who preceded Shakespeare
by a long time. These actors were religious and Jesus called them hypocrites. That’s what the word ‘hypocrite’ actually means.
(check it out) and is rooted in Ancient Greek etymology.
Robert Burns too had something to say about ‘religious folk’ and you can read about them in Holy Willies Prayer, The Holy Fair and by contrast The Cotter’s Saturday Night.
Our faith is not meant to be a public display of piety and if someone  should ask if you are religious what would you say?
Today’s passage has a lot to teach us and  since we have no option but to stay indoors it seems very poignant. Consider too the Lords Prayer in context.

Today I ask you to think/ meditate on Jesus’ words.

God bless you!

Jim

Revd James Boag

JBoag@churchofscotland.org.uk

MATTHEW 6: 1-14
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

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