Pints With Aquinas - Don't Pray Like the Hypocrites | Bible Study W/ Aquinas

Episode Date: July 30, 2020

Today we'll take a look at what Thomas Aquinas has to say about our Lord's words in Matthew 6:5: "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." That's right ... we're looking at one verse. Why not two? Because you can't handle two! ... and Neither can I. GIVING Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattfradd This show (and all the plans we have in store) wouldn't be possible without you. I can't thank those of you who support me enough. Seriously! Thanks for essentially being a co-producer coproducer of the show. LINKS Website: https://pintswithaquinas.com/ Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/matt-fradd FREE 21 Day Detox From Porn Course: https://www.strive21.com/ SOCIAL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattfradd Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattfradd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pints_w_aquinas/ MY BOOKS Does God Exist: https://www.amazon.com/Does-God-Exist-Socratic-Dialogue-ebook/dp/B081ZGYJW3/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=fradd&qid=1586377974&sr=8-9 Marian Consecration With Aquinas: https://www.amazon.com/Marian-Consecration-Aquinas-Growing-Closer-ebook/dp/B083XRQMTF/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=fradd&qid=1586379026&sr=8-4 The Porn Myth: https://www.ignatius.com/The-Porn-Myth-P1985.aspx CONTACT Book me to speak: https://www.mattfradd.com/speakerrequestform

G'day and welcome to another Bible study with Aquinas. My name is Matt Fradd and today we are going to be looking at as much as we can because he's got a lot of fantastic things to say, especially verse 5 and 6. And then next week I think we'll get to verses 7 and 8. So why don't we make the sign of the cross together. Even if you're not a Catholic, you're welcome to trace on your body something that reminds you of the salvation that was won for you by Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. So here's what we'll be reading. This comes from Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 8. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. You must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. So we'll begin here again for those who are new, this is a part of Thomas Aquinas' commentary on Matthew's gospel. So we begin here with that line, when you pray, don't be as the hypocrites. And Aquinas says, by hypocrites is understood pretenders who do everything for human praise. And although this vice is to be avoided in every work, nevertheless, it is especially to be avoided in prayer, according to

Chrysostom, because prayer is a certain sacrifice that we offer God from our innermost hearts. Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, the lifting up of my hands as evening sacrifices. Sacrifice. Psalm 141.2. Now, a sacrifice is not allowed to be offered except to God, but it is offered to men if it is done for human glory. And such prayers are idolatry. How powerful is that? I have never thought about that before. I've often seen that line, when you pray, you know, don't do it for the sake of men, but that's really powerful. We're not meant to offer sacrifices to anyone but God, but if we're praying in order to be seen by men, we're offering a sacrifice for our own vanity in a sense, so that

they'll see us. And this is a sort of idolatry. My goodness gracious. Not gonna lie, this is the first time I've read through this because I like to do it fresh. I don't want to kind of read through it, get all the insights, and then record it. I kind of like doing it on the fly. So it's blowing my mind as hopefully it's blowing your mind as I drank from my ridiculously tiny coffee cup. Yay, espresso. I want to read that last line again because that really just struck me. And although this vice is to be avoided in every work, nevertheless, it is especially to be avoided in prayer according to Chrysostom because prayer But the hypocrites are described as to their affection, place, pride, and intention. As to the first, he says, who love.

For sometimes a certain titillation of vainglory happens in holy men, but they are not counted among those hypocrites unless they act for that purpose, in the desire of his heart. Oh, whoops, sorry about that. The camera just went a bit weird. That's really interesting, hey? Because I don't know about you, but when I started reading that, I thought to myself, okay, but there's times that like I'll pray the Chotki as I walk, or there have been times

that I'll pray the Holy Rosary while I walk. Whoops. But that's nice to know. There's a distinction here that Aquinas is making, right? He's saying that, yeah, like even holy people pray and feel that delight, perhaps, when somebody sees them praying and thinks that that's a good thing. You know, I remember once I was serving as a missionary with Net Ministries up in Canada. And I remember I was praying quite late at night.

The lights were off. I was in the chapel and someone came in. And I remember being like really pumped that they would see me praying in the dark alone, which is like just super prideful. But it's real, you know. So that's kind of, I think, yeah. Okay, but let's read that again. I don't know why I shared that with you.

This is vulnerable time, people. Okay. The hypocrites are described as to their affection, place, pride, and intention. As to the first, he says, those who love. All right, so that's cool. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogue. All right. So that's not you. they love to stand and pray in the synagogue. All right.

So that's not you if you're praying your rosary and walking around and praying for the sake of praying the rosary. Right. For sometimes a certain titillation of vainglory, I definitely felt a titillation of vainglory while I was praying in the chapel that day, happens in holy men. I'm not holy, but I'm definitely a man. But they are not counted among the hypocrites unless they act for that purpose. So that's really cool to know. Thank you, Aquinas. So when I was praying, I actually, I mean, if memory serves, I didn't go in, turn the lights off, stay there really late in hopes that someone would come in. I actually was praying. But it just so happened when somebody came in, and I think they were like a female who was attractive to me,

and so that made it doubly awesome. Like, look how holy I am, praying. You're welcome. I'm also super humble. So that's interesting. So cool, cool, cool, cool. All right, now let's continue. And note, there are two kinds of hypocrites who openly seek human glory.

That is, who pray in public places. Hence, he says, in synagogues where the congregation of the people pray. There are others who pray in private places and seek glory by this very avoidance of glory. For they wish to seem to seek privacy. Man, who is feeling exposed? They wish to seem to seek privacy. Although although nevertheless, they love what is public. And this is in the synagogues and street corners. For if they were truly seeking secrecy, they would not seek the corners of boulevards, but an enclosed place.

Or rather, they would say that they seek a public area. But these are two kinds of public places. Certain ones are set aside for prayer, like synagogues. Others are not, namely street corners. And it is properly a corner where two lines intersect. Hence, street corners where two streets intersect so that there is a crossroads and this is extremely public and not designated for prayer that's interesting i've actually never thought about that when i've read that in the past you know i guess i would have just thought that you could have substituted street corner with just street i didn't actually think of, if it's a corner, you've got two intersecting roads

and a lot of traffic. It should also be noted that one of the things at work in prayer is humility. The prayer of the humble and meek has always pleased you, Judith 9.16. He has had regard to the prayer

that these people stand as though proud. But it seems that in no place would it be forbidden to pray. Right? That's fair enough. Because, I mean, we read in 1 Timothy 2.8, I wish that men pray in every place. So isn't that an objection to what Jesus is saying? In the churches, bless. Oh, that comes from Psalm 68, 26.

But it should be said that it is not a sin except under the intention that they may be seen by men. How are we doing for time here? Oh, we're okay. That they may be seen by men. So it's the intention that counts. I've really worried about that in the past. I have to be honest. You know, like Catholics will often go for rosary walks.

And there are times, right, I'll be thinking, should I have my rosary in my pocket? Or should I carry it out and hold it? Because if I put it in my pocket, that's probably a good thing because that way people aren't seeing me and I'm not falling into this trap of pride. But at the same time, it's a witness to pray. And so I want to hold it. And it sounds like what Aquinas is saying here is like, number one, do not pray so that people will see you in the sense that you'll, you know, be extolled. But secondly, it really depends on the intention.

And honestly, like for me, when I'm walking around praying in the airport, I'm really, I'm really not thinking that people are going to praise me. If anything, Catholicism isn't a super popular religion, so walking around praying to Jesus Christ, I don't know, man. Maybe that had a different... Yeah, maybe it was easier to pray and get people's attention and get them to think you're really holy and that'd be a good thing for you as opposed to today, whereas I think in many places

Christianity is looked down upon oh baby baby and as christian says although willing to be seen by men is harmful in other words in other works sorry not in other words nevertheless it is especially so in prayer for it damages both the end and the constancy for even if it is done with a good intention a man can scarcely hold his mind so that it does not wander off into diverse things go chrysostom anybody else just super jazzed that chrysostom said that because you've tried praying and it's like your brain is crazy and it's thinking up a million crazy things that seem totally disconnected

and it's just nuts. I want to read that again. As Chrysostom says, Although willing to be seen by men is harmful in other works, nevertheless it is especially so in prayer, for it damages both the end of prayer and the constancy. All right, so that's fair enough. So it damages like why it is you're of prayer and the constancy. So that's fair enough. So it damages like why it is you're doing it in the first place.

And the constancy. Why the constancy? Well, he says, for even if it is done with a good intention, a man can scarcely hold his mind so that it does not wander off into diverse things, much less than when this is done for the sake of human glory. And this is that they may be seen. That's a really good point. So it's difficult enough to sit alone in silence and pray. That's bloody difficult. But if I'm praying in front of men,

even if I'm doing it with the right intention as I go and I pray, maybe I'm still struggling in addition to all my other thoughts with the right intention as I go and I pray. Maybe I'm still struggling in addition to all my other thoughts of, is this something I'm doing so that they'll look at me and think well of me? Or is this something I'm doing out of a pure motive? So that's fair enough. But should one not pray in a public place? It should be known that the Lord intends to prohibit the manner of praying so that vain glory is removed, which is never sought except by someone on his own. For when there are many who keep one manner of praying, glory is not sought before one another.

Hence, the Lord removes the individual manner of praying, that namely, no one should pray in a place not designated for prayer, except someone with such authority that he may even lead others in prayer. Hence, according to Chrysostom, the fact that he says street corners is to be referred to everything by which you seem to be set apart from the others Okay, let's wrap up here where he says, Amen, I say to you, they've had their reward. And then next week, we'll keep reading. Amen, I say to you, here he assigns the reason. And he says two things, reward and there.

The reward of each person is that by which he is fed from his work. Hence, when we do anything for the glory of men, the glory of men is our own reward. Although, nevertheless, we should wait for the true glory of God. And this is, they have received their reward because they have usurped it. What things a man will sow, those also will he reap. Okay. That's good.

Truly I say to you that they've had their reward. So if I, you know, it's so funny, like sometimes the scriptures are just just they say exactly what they say and sometimes we over complicate things but yeah if I'm going to pray and I want you to see me so that you think I'm holy yeah I've had my reward but that's not the reward I ought to be after

okay well next week I want to dive into what Thomas Aquinas has to say concerning the following text about you when you will pray, enter into your chamber. And then I also want to touch upon next week what he has to say about, you know, don't pray like the heathens do, mounting up words and this sort of thing. So please tune in next week. I hope that that was a help. I would love to know what your insight

was from this passage. Please let me know below. I do read the comments. I don't always have time to respond to each and every one, but I do kind of put a heart next to the ones that I found especially insightful or that I appreciated. So why don't we read this one more time and then we'll wrap up here from Matthew's gospel. Chapter, verses 5 through 6, I guess, is what we read today. When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogue and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they've had their reward. Isn't that crazy that that's all we read?

Like that's all we read, and that's all we read and that's what we went through. So I hope that was a help for you. Maybe go back and listen to this again if that all went by a little too quick. But thank you for being here. Please click subscribe below and the bell button if you don't wanna miss these as they come out each week. We're putting a lot of great content out here, I think,

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