"Be careful not to parade your good deeds before others, to attract their notice". In an earlier reflection, we have distinguished "good advice" and "good news". This saying of Jesus is undoubtedly "good advice". For having to listen to someone boasting incessantly of his or her "good deeds" or even implicit greatness is one of the greatest obstacles to the pleasure of ordinary human social conversation.

Jesus, however, understands his admonition as part of the Good News of the Gospel, far beyond merely "good advice", for he immediately adds the warning: "for doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven".

Without in any way suggesting that seeking a reward from God should be our motivation for doing good deeds, throughout his Gospel, Matthew has no qualms about reminding us of the importance of receiving rewards from our Father in heaven for the good that we do.