Does the truth that God sees all, even what we do in secret, make your heart sing with joy or fill you with a bit of anxiety? We need to check ourselves once in a while, because this can reveal a lot about our relationship with the Lord, with others, and with ourselves. In many ways, our character is revealed by what we do when we think no one can see us; it is also revealed by what we do when we think people are watching!
Is our generosity deep and true? We might drop a dollar into the collection basket on Sunday if we think no one is really paying attention. But if we knew that someone else (the pastor, or some person whose opinion we value) will know how much we gave, would we feel impelled to give more?
What do we do when we are eating lunch alone? Do we take the time to pray properly first? Or do we only do that when we are with our grandmother or a friend who prompts us?
How do we bear the crosses of our life? Do we receive them as a gift from the Lord, sent to form us and make us more like Him? Or do we post our pain – real or imagined or exaggerated – all over social media so that others will give us attention and sympathy to boost our self-worth?
Sometimes we can do even good things for the wrong reasons, and Jesus tells us that sometimes we give only to receive; in that case, we’ve made ourselves the recipient of our own gift, which is no gift at all! How can the Father reward us for the good we do, if we have already been repaid, or we have already manipulated the situation in order to receive praise or sympathy or affirmation from others?! Jesus tells us that we must do good things (and he refers to the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and giving!), but for the right reasons: to serve others and glorify God, not to serve and glorify ourselves.
In a world that values largeness and loudness and success, it is hard to remember that what God values is not determined by size or outcome, but by the love with which it is offered to Him; in fact, the most hidden offerings can be the most precious to Him because they are given only to Him and seen only by Him. In a world that values self-determination, self-promotion, self-reliance, and getting just the right picture to post online so others see us in a certain way, Jesus’ words about remaining hidden to everyone but God might seem strange. But the only way to be lifted up in grace is to bow down low in gratitude before the Father. It is He who loves us and Who sees all, even the things that others miss.
What secret gift can I offer to the Lord’s Heart in love today?
El hecho de que Dios lo vea todo, incluso lo que hacemos en secreto, ¿hace que tu corazón cante de alegría o te inquiete un poco? Tenemos que analizarnos de vez en cuando, porque esto puede revelar mucho sobre nuestra relación con el Señor, con los demás y con nosotros mismos. En muchos sentidos, nuestro carácter se revela por lo que hacemos cuando pensamos que nadie nos puede ver; ¡también se revela por lo que hacemos cuando pensamos que la gente está mirando!
¿Es nuestra generosidad profunda y verdadera? Podríamos dejar caer un dólar en la canasta de la colecta el domingo si pensamos que nadie realmente está prestando atención. Pero si supiéramos que alguien más (el pastor, o alguna persona cuya opinión valoramos) sabrá cuánto hemos dado, ¿nos sentiríamos impulsados a dar más?
¿Qué hacemos cuando almorzamos solos? ¿Tomamos el tiempo para darle gracias a Dios primero? ¿O solo lo hacemos cuando estamos con nuestra abuela o un amigo que nos incita?
¿Cómo llevamos las cruces de nuestra vida? ¿Los recibimos como un don del Señor, enviados para formarnos y hacernos más como Él? ¿O publicamos nuestro dolor, real, imaginario o exagerado, en todas las redes sociales para que los demás nos presten atención y simpatía para aumentar nuestra autoestima?
A veces podemos hacer incluso cosas buenas por razones equivocadas, y Jesús nos dice que a veces damos solo para recibir; en ese caso, nos hemos convertido en los destinatarios de nuestro propio regalo, ¡que al final ni es regalo! ¡¿Cómo puede el Padre recompensarnos por el bien que hacemos, si ya hemos sido recompensados, o ya hemos manipulado la situación para recibir elogios o simpatía o afirmación de otros?! Jesús nos dice que debemos hacer cosas buenas (y se refiere a los tres pilares de la oración, el ayuno y la limosna), pero por las razones correctas: para servir a los demás y glorificar a Dios, no para servir y glorificarnos a nosotros mismos.
En un mundo que valora la grandeza, el volumen y el éxito, es difícil recordar que lo que Dios valora no está determinado por el tamaño o el resultado, sino por el amor con que se le ofrece; de hecho, las ofrendas más escondidas pueden ser las más preciosas para Él porque se le dan solo a Él y solo Él las ve. En un mundo que valora la autodeterminación, la autopromoción, la autosuficiencia y obtener la imagen correcta para publicar en línea para que otros nos vean de cierta manera, las palabras de Jesús acerca de permanecer oculto para todos, excepto para Dios, pueden parecer extrañas. Pero la única forma de ser elevado en gracia es inclinarse profundamente en gratitud ante el Padre. Es Él quien nos ama y Quien ve todo, incluso las cosas que otros pasan por alto.
¿Qué regalo secreto puedo ofrecer hoy por amor al Corazón del Señor?
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and seven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: Liza Summer, pexels.com/photo/crop-faceless-woman-showing-small-gift-box-on-palms-6348104/
Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mother. She is blessed to be able to homeschool, bake bread and fold endless piles of laundry. When not planning a school day, writing a blog post or cooking pasta, Kate can be found curled up with a book or working with some kind of fiber craft. Kate blogs at 
A lover of Jesus Christ, a wife, and a mother of five, Christine is the author of Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood. She is a graduate of Franciscan University, an instructor for the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and an experienced catechist. Thrilled to have recently become grandparents, she and her husband currently live in Upstate, NY. Visit her author webpage at 
Dr. Alexis Dallara-Marsh is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Bergen County, NJ. She is a wife to her best friend, Akeem, and a mother of two little ones on Earth and two others in heaven above.
Mike Karpus is a regular guy. He grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, graduated from Michigan State University and works as an editor. He is married to a Catholic school principal, raised two daughters who became Catholic school teachers at points in their careers, and now relishes his two grandchildren, including the older one who is fascinated with learning about his faith. He also has served on a Catholic school board, a pastoral council and a parish stewardship committee. He currently is a lector at Mass, a Knight of Columbus, Adult Faith Formation Committee member and a board member of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. But mostly he’s a regular guy.
Emily Jaminet is a Catholic author, speaker, radio personality, wife, and mother of seven children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mental health and human services from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is the co-founder of 
J.M. Pallas has had a lifelong love of Scriptures. When she is not busy with her vocation as a wife and mother to her “1 Samuel 1” son, or her vocation as a public health educator, you may find her at her parish women’s bible study, affectionately known as “The Bible Chicks.”
Dakota lives in Denver, CO with her husband, Ralph, and their two sons, Alfie & Theophilus. She is the Dean of Enrollment Management for Bishop Machebeuf High School where her husband also teaches. You can find Dakota at the zoo or a brewery with her family or with her nose in a book at home. For more of Dakota’s writing check out 
Elizabeth Tomlin is the author of Joyful Momentum: Building and Sustaining Vibrant Women’s Groups and contributing author to the Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers. She is General Counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Elizabeth is an Army wife and mother of three and currently lives in the DC area. She blogs at 
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