The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause" for Wednesday, 1 March 2017 with Scripture Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Matthew 6:1
“Be careful not to parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them! If you do, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So, when you do tzedakah, don’t announce it with trumpets to win people’s praise, like the hypocrites in the synagogues and on the streets. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! 3 But you, when you do tzedakah, don’t even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Then your tzedakah will be in secret; and your Father, who sees what you do in secret, will reward you.
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners, so that people can see them. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
16 “Now when you fast, don’t go around looking miserable, like the hypocrites. They make sour faces so that people will know they are fasting. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! 17 But you, when you fast, wash your face and groom yourself, 18 so that no one will know you are fasting — except your Father, who is with you in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
19 “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. 21 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.
[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Ash Wednesday is so called because on this day worshipers receive ashes in the shape of the cross on their foreheads as a sign of mourning, mortality and repentance. The ashes are traditionally prepared from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. Their use suggests divine judgment on sin, and our humiliation, repentance and total dependence on God. As the ashes are being imposed we hear the words spoken to Adam following the first transgression, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," and recall the solemn "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" of the committal service. Once used for cleaning, however, ashes can also suggest cleansing and renewal.
Gracious God, help us to remember that though one day our lives will end, we will die in the embrace of your promise. Amen.
Mark Throntveit, '75
Professor and Elva B. Lovell Chair of Old Testament, Luther Seminary
Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you...
16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.[New Revised Standard Version]
Ash Wednesday is so called because on this day worshipers receive ashes in the shape of the cross on their foreheads as a sign of mourning, mortality and repentance. The ashes are traditionally prepared from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. Their use suggests divine judgment on sin, and our humiliation, repentance and total dependence on God. As the ashes are being imposed we hear the words spoken to Adam following the first transgression, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," and recall the solemn "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" of the committal service. Once used for cleaning, however, ashes can also suggest cleansing and renewal.
Gracious God, help us to remember that though one day our lives will end, we will die in the embrace of your promise. Amen.
Mark Throntveit, '75
Professor and Elva B. Lovell Chair of Old Testament, Luther Seminary
Matthew 6:1 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you...
16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.[New Revised Standard Version]
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The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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