We will probably never be famous - perhaps our lives will pass in quiet and hidden ordinary living. But Sirach assures us that our lives are no less important than the famous ones. Our glory lies in our loving and humble service and our words and acts of kindness. Not one of them is unimportant. In fact, they are our glory. Our kind words and deeds move like ripples in a pond throughout the years until the end of time, touching people we will never know.

But some people use religion and piety like a hiding place. They don't make a connection between the faith they profess and their everyday behavior, especially in the way they treat people. We can find examples in every religion including our own. Jesus is warning us against this abuse in the story of the temple cleansing. He quotes from Jeremiah, where the prophet accuses people of turning the temple into a thieves' hiding place. They are very pious and observant in the temple after huge failures in justice, kindness, and decency, thinking that they can bribe God to ignore their failings. This won't do, Jesus insists, for the temple and everyday life are not separate things. Our faith is not about power, money, respect, or even 'earning' our way into heaven. It consists of loving and serving God and other people.