Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Be Meek in:
- charity
- prayer
- fasting
Here in chapter 6 of Matthew’s Gospel account our Lord continues, as in the previous one, to speak on some attitudes that animate a well-focused spiritual journey. This time He focuses on the virtue of meekness from the perspectives of charity, prayer and fasting.
By way of descriptive definition, meek persons have self-control; they are humble and teachable; bold and forgive; each readily says, ‘I’m sorry’; they confidently serve others and are alive in the spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23). One thing unique about the meek persons is that though imbued with these qualities, they do not orchestrate or showcase them.
And so, the meek persons charitably and generously share with others without blowing the trumpet. They live out the Lord’s command of ‘love one another as I have loved you’ without letting the right hand know what the left is doing. They have the same attitude towards prayer life. For them, prayer is a way of living; a lived spirituality – that’s, a way of being in contrast to being just ‘a religious observance.’ The meek persons would ordinarily like to say their prayers possibly unnoticed. They prefer the idea that ‘your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.’
In addition, our Lord points out the value of fasting. Fasting enhances our self-discipline; moderates our attitudinal desire for consumption; enables us to practice delayed gratification; frees us from inordinate attachments. Fasting, as a deliberate choice to mortify oneself, helps us to detach ourselves from the temporals, hence boosts our process of communion with God. The meek persons calmly indulge in fasting without any form of external exhibition. They believe that it paves the way to their closer bonding with the Lord. Jesus meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto yours, amen.
