To stay clear of trivialities

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 11th week in Ordinary time

June 19, 2024 - 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14; Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

The only condition placed before Elisha, that he may receive a double share of the Spirit possessed by Elijah, was that Elisha should see Elijah being taken away by God. The challenge here is not to miss what is central to whatever we are involved in, being distracted with the trivialities.

The Gospel places the same condition before us. The actions that we do will have their true value depending on the fact whether the centrality of the right element was ensured. Praying, fasting and almsgiving are the three actions mentioned in the Gospel today and they together epitomise the entire religious practice of a Jew, not to forget even for us as followers of Christ. Jesus was not belittling them in any way but was putting them in the right perspective. The point is: not to miss what is central to it, in getting distracted with the trivialities of human recognition and immediate rewards.

In our relationship with ourselves, with others and with God, we are invited to pay attention to the most central of all concerns: that is, to do what is most pleasing to God at any given instant. Any other concern is only a triviality, however good or practical it could be. The spiritual prudence that Jesus teaches us today is to stay clear of the trivialities and place God at the centre and at the core. Never to miss God on our daily journey would means that we ensure that we stay always clear of trivialities in life.