Quickly and quietly

In the United States, campaigns are fully underway for next year’s Presidential election. Well over a dozen candidates are crisscrossing the country and saturating the airwaves with numerous events and even more numerous sound bites and taking points: several months before even the first vote is cast.

Many of these candidates are doing good things (e.g., visiting troops in warzones, talking about poverty) but they are many times accused (and not always without reason) of doing these good things for self-serving purposes.

Although you and I may not be politicians, we too may often have self-serving approaches to doing good things.

For example, we may do altruistic things only when it fits into our schedules and everything falls into place.

In today’s first reading (Exodus 12:37-42), the people of Israel respond immediately to the Lord’s call to action: not even waiting for their food to be ready.

Also, like the politicians, we may be overly interested in getting favorable attention for the good we do.

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 12:14-21), our Lord asks the people he helps to not speak of the good that he does.

May we always do what is good
according to the will and plan of God
and for his glory.