Teen Series | The Secret That Heaven Sees

Senior School Reflection | Gospel of Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18, 11th Wednesday of Ordinary Time, Year A, 2026

In this Gospel, Jesus teaches the lesson not only what it means to live faithfully but how our faith should shape our actions and intentions. He tells us that when our good works are translated into action, they should not be driven by the desire for praise and admiration. Whether it is being charitable, praying or fasting, Jesus urges that these acts be done quietly, not to make them totally invisible, but not purely for applause or recognition from others, because the attention it attracts becomes the only reward it will receive. Three times in the course of this Gospel, Jesus reminds us that God, “your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” 

While Jesus’ message is clear about on how our intention is noticed in public life, he also tells us something else about God. He is saying that God can see that others cannot see. God sees the good things we do that others cannot see. For example, in another gospel passage, Jesus saw the generosity of the poor widow at the temple treasury. She gave all that was worth to her name, just two small copper coins, hardly making a sound as they dropped into the treasury. Few of those there would have taken any notice of her. However, Jesus noticed her act of generosity and drew this to his disciples attention. What Jesus wanted to convey to his disciples was that even this woman’s small act was as great as – if not greater – than larger offerings of others, because generosity in God’s eyes is not measured by amount but in the sincere gift of self to others. 

The story from the life of Saint Martin of Tours helps us understand this teaching more deeply.

Before he became a bishop, Martin was a young Roman soldier. On one cold winter day, while approaching the city’s gate, he saw a homeless person exposed and shivering in the freezing temperature. The man had nothing warm to wear and ignored by all who passed by. Martin did not have money to give, but he refused to walk past.

Without drawing attention to himself, Martin took off his military cloak, cut it in half, and gave one half to the homeless man. He made no speech nor waited for others to see. He simply saw a need and responded.

That same night, Martin had a dream. He saw Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away. Turning to the angels, Jesus said, “Martin, who is not yet baptised, has clothed me.”

Martin’s simple act was not done for recognition, but it mattered deeply — because it was done with love.

In this Gospel, Jesus’ message is clear:  God is not impressed by our performances. He is moved by sincerity just like St Martin of Tours. We should not seek an audience to be meaningful. Our actions should be led with integrity. When we give, pray, or make sacrifices quietly, God sees, and God remembers them, nothing goes unseen. 

Here at our School, we value respect for others. What is beautiful about respect is that it requires no resources nor time from us except the quiet response in recognising our peers, teachers, support staff, and those outside the gate. We can practice the art of quiet generosity by simply choosing to guard ourselves from making a hurtful mistake; for example, if we are inclined to put people down with hateful words in the moment, respect tells us to refrain; if we are peer pressured to tarnish a person’s reputation or violate their emotional security with inappropriate and unethical social media posts, again respect calls us to refrain. 

It also includes respecting other people’s faith and dignity, especially when they hold different beliefs. For example, someone may not believe in God. Sometimes when we feel strongly about God, we can be tempted to be harsh and pressure someone into agreeing with us. However, respect for others acknowledges that faith is a gift, and that understanding God’s will is a process unfolding in God’s time, not our own. In doing so, we let people be free from pressure and coercion of religious truth, and we act with charity and prudence about how and when we communicate truth. More importantly, this kind of respect leads to integrity; grounding our actions in truth patiently, rather than being shaped by the impulse of our emotions that clouds our judgement and distorts our integrity. 

These are small acts, hardly noticeable except between you and God. And if we can begin to quietly contribute in this way, in return, God will reward us as he has promised, not with human applause, but with his own reward. A clean conscience now – a sense of wellbeing within ourselves – and heaven in the end, where we are made perfect, glorified alongside God, and dare I say, recognition which outlasts mere human approval: a blessing to be remembered like Martin of Tours, the poor woman in the temple sanctuary, and all the saints we commemorate each day in our liturgical calendar.

The message we should leave with today is this: don’t be afraid of small acts of generosity and appreciate going unseen; where in your life have you failed to go unnoticed?