Matthew 6:3 (WEB)
But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,
Catechism · 4
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
“Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Joel 2:12-13; Isa 1:16-17; Mt 6:1-6; 16-18.
“Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Tob 12:8; Mt 6:1-18.
The Moral Law
“The New Law practices the acts of religion: almsgiving, prayer and fasting, directing them to the "Father who sees in secret," in contrast with the desire to "be seen by men."” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 6:1-6; 16-18.
The Seventh Commandment
“Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Tob 4:5-11; Sir 17:22; Mt 6:2-4.
Fathers and councils · 34
Irenaeus of Lyons
“And, “When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.”” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences XI–XVII XVII.21Conference XVII
“If we conceal it, to satisfy the Lord’s command which says: “Thou shalt not appear unto men to fast but unto thy Father Who is in secret;” and again: “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” we must at once tell a lie.” — editor's note: S. Matt. vi. 18, 3.
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Augustine of Hippo
“The perfect soul then, to which that secret has been made known, sings in prophecy “for the words of Chusi,” that is, for the knowledge of that same secret.” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
Read the whole comment“I ask you, how ye interpret what is said in the Gospel, “Let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth”?” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
Read the whole comment“…(to mention but a single instance which occurs meantime to my mind), when Christ gives the counsel not to let the left hand know what the right hand doeth, he may suppose himself under the necessity of accepting in the same figurative sense at once the almsgivings themselves referred to, and the other instructions…” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
Read the whole comment“Whence the Lord Himself in the Gospel saith: “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward with your Father which is in heaven.”” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 1–3. Infra, Hom. viii. 19, Serm. cxlix. 10–13.
Read the whole comment“For he ought, if supplying food to the hungry, to do it in the way of mercy and not of boasting, seeking therein nothing else but the doing of good, and not letting his left hand know what his right hand doeth; in other words, that all thought of self-seeking should be utterly estranged from a work of charity.” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
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John Chrysostom
““Let not thy left hand know,” saith He, “what thy right hand doeth.”” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
Read the whole comment“And whereas her Father requires not to appear so much as to the left hand,she displays her to the slaves, and to the vulgar, that have not even known her.” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3.
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Jerome
“When you fast, be of a cheerful countenance.” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3, 16–18.
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Ambrose of Milan
““Let not,” he says, “thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.”” — editor's note: S. Mat. vi. 3.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“So again the comment on Matt. vi. 3. is not found in the Constitutions, though the text is quoted. vid.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Above the Lord had spoken of righteousness in general. He now pursues it through its different parts.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He opposes three chief virtues, alms, prayer, and fasting, to three evil things against which the Lord undertook the war of temptation. For He fought for us in the wilderness against gluttony; against covetousness on…
Read the whole comment - AmbrosiasterCatena Aurea on Matthew
The sum of all Christian discipline is comprehended in mercy and piety, for which reason He begins with almsgiving.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The trumpet stands for every act or word that tends to a display of our works; for instance, to do alms if we know that some other person is looking on, or at the request of another, or to a person of such condition…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Thus what He says, “Do not sound a trumpet before thee,” refers to what He had said above, “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
He who sounds a trumpet before him when he does alms is a hypocrite. Whence he adds, “as the hypocrites do.”
Read the whole comment - Isidore of SevilleCatena Aurea on Matthew
The name ‘hypocrite’ is derived from the appearance of those who in the shows are disguised in masks, variously coloured according to the character they represent, sometimes male, sometimes female, to impose on the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
As then the hypocrites, (a word meaning ‘one who feigns,’) as personating the characters of other men, act parts which are not naturally their own - for he who personates Agamemnon, is not really Agamemnon, but…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
In the words, “in the streets and villages,” he marks the public places which they selected; and in those, “that they may receive honour of men,” he marks their motive.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
It should be known, that there are some who wear the dress of sanctity, and are not able to work out the merit of perfection, yet who must in no wise be numbered among the hypocrites, because it is one thing to sin…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And such sinners receive from God the Searcher of hearts none other reward than punishment of their deceitfulness; “Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
A reward not of God, but of themselves, for they receive praise of men, for the sake of which it was that they practised their virtues.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
This refers to what He had said above, “Otherwise ye shall have no reward of your Father which is in heaven;” and He goes on to shew them that they should not do their alms as the hypocrites, but teaches them how…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” is said as an extreme expression, as much as to say, If it were possible, that you should not know yourself, and that your very hands should be hid from your…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Apostles in the book of the Constitutions, interpret thus; The right hand is the Christian people which is at Christ’s right hand; the left hand is all the people who are on His left hand. He means then, that…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
But according to this interpretation, it will be no fault to have a respect to pleasing the faithful; and yet we are forbidden to propose as the end of any good work the pleasing of any kind of men. Yet if you would…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For it is impossible that God should leave in obscurity any good work of man; but He makes it manifest in this world, and glorifies it in the next world, because it is the glory of God; as likewise the Devil…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
But in the Greek copies, which are earlier, we have not the word, “openly.”
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
If therefore you desire spectators of your good deeds, behold you have not merely Angels and Archangels, but the God of the universe.
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Gregory the Great
“That they may not seek transitory praise for a gift bestowed, let them hear what is written, Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matth. vi. 3).” — the author cites it
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Cyprian of Carthage
“In the Gospel according to Matthew: “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall render to thee.”” — editor's note: Matt. vi. 3, 4.
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Tertullian
- Tertullian, To His Wife II.5Book II
“But since Scripture commands each of two things—namely, that we work for the Lord without the privity of any second person, and without pressure upon ourselves, it matters not in which quarter you sin; whether in regard to your husband’s privity, if he be tolerant, or else in regard…” — editor's note: Comp. Matt. vi. 1–4.
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Cross-references · 19
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 5:20–22 (8) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in To His Wife II.5.
Cited together in Catechism §1969.
Cited together in Catechism §1969.
Cited together in Catechism §1969.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.30.
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 6:2–4 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §1430.
Cited together in Catechism §1430.
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 6:2–4 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §1430.
Cited together in Catechism §1430.