Scripture reveals that all created things belong to God and are gifts to us. We are merely God's stewards on earth, called to live interdependently with all creation and totally dependent on God's providence for our daily needs. St Paul, in the first reading, exhorts us as stewards, to share everything that God has given us, our time, talents, and resources with a cheerful spirit and a generous heart, as we imitate the way God gives unconditionally and without reserve.

True giving comes from a happy and grateful heart - the sacred space where God meets us in silence. The heart is also the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, where all good deeds of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving motivated by the love of God and neighbours, emerge. Jesus reminds us that our good deeds are to give glory to God and are not meant to meet our egoistic needs of self-righteousness or win praise and recognition from others as the hypocrites did. The word hypocrite comes from the Greek "hupokrites' and originally refers to an actor wearing a mask on a stage performance. Hence, our prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and other charitable works of mercy are public performances and spring from a genuine, grateful heart and loving relationship with God.

God sees every motive behind each human action. When God sees all good deeds directed to God's praise and glory, Jesus reaffirms us three times with these words: