CHAPTER 94.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Levi
The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus reveals to the twelve the secret of prayer. The model prayer. The law of forgiveness. The holy fast. The evil of deceit. Almsgiving.
Next morning e’er the sun had risen Jesus and the twelve went to a mountain near the sea to pray; and Jesus taught the twelve disciples how to pray. He said,
2 Prayer is the deep communion of the soul with God;
3 So when you pray do not deceive yourselves as do the hypocrites who love to stand upon the streets and in the synagogues and pour out many words to please the ears of men.
4 And they adorn themselves with pious airs that they may have the praise of men. They seek the praise of men and their reward is sure.
5 But when you pray, go to the closet of your soul; close all the doors, and in the holy silence, pray.
6 You need not speak a multitude of words, nor yet repeat the words again and then again, as heathen do. Just say,
7 Our Father-God who art in heaven; holy is thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
8 Give us this day our needed bread;
9 Help us forget the debts that other people owe to us, that all our debts may be discharged.
10 And shield us from the tempter’s snares that are too great for us to bear;
11 And when they come give us the strength to overcome.
12 If you would be discharged from all the debts you owe to God and man, the debts you have incurred by wilfully transgressing law,
13 You must pass by the debts of every man; for as you deal with other men your God will deal with you.
14 And when you fast you may not advertise the deed.
15 When fast the hypocrites they paint their faces, look demure, assume a pious pose, that they may seem to men to fast.
16 A fast is deed of soul, and like a prayer, it is a function of the silence of the soul.
17 God never passes by unnoticed any prayer, or fast. He walks within the silence, and his benedictions rest on every effort of the soul.
18 Deception is hypocrisy, and you shall not assume to be what you are not.
19 You may not clothe yourselves in special garb to advertise your piety, nor yet assume the tone of voice that men conceive to be a holy voice.
20 And when you give to aid the needy ones, blow not a trumpet in the street, nor synagogue to advertise your gift.
21 He who does alms for praise of men has his reward from men; but God regardeth not.
22 In giving alms do not let the right hand know the secret of the left.