The value piety.

We can often admire some brothers and sisters for their beautiful relationship with God, neighbor, and the Church. Their behavior is not just attractive, but also sensitive and beneficial. Their conduct directly inspires us. This is true holiness. They do it solely for God, willingly sacrificing their free time and other things. However, some seek to be seen as pious. Yet, their life, behavior, and words evoke the exact opposite. They are more detrimental to themselves and the Church. Their righteousness is misguided or even false. Lord Jesus says: “A good man brings forth good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil man brings forth evil from evil. After all, his mouth speaks out of the fullness of his heart ” (Lk 6,45).  

These words of the Lord Jesus warn us that true piety springs from a good heart and manifests itself not only in words but, above all, in deeds. For the Lord Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to me: Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father, which is in the sky “(Mt 7 21). So righteousness must come from love. And love – it’s not calculation, praise, celebrations, recognition, tributes for proven service… The Pharisees often boasted of being pious. 

But who is good? He who has a good heart! As you are inside, so will your deed. Let’s remember the publican and the Pharisee praying in the temple. Although the Pharisee fasted and gave tithes regularly, his actions are like chaff that does not weigh against God, but the humility and humiliation of the publican, who is aware of his weakness, that he is afraid to lift his eyes, weigh and have excellent value before God. So, the Lord Jesus wants us to go deep and not just stay on the surface and talk to the wind. That’s why he uses a comparison that even children can understand. That is, either a person builds his life on the Lord Jesus and thus survives the last judgment, or not, and his efforts, his life will collapse like a house of cards. 

We should build our efforts, plans, attitudes, and the meaning of our lives on Jesus’ teaching. Everything we would make outside of Jesus, although it is beautiful and maybe briefly here on earth, seems powerful, effective, and strong, everything will one day end in failure, disappointment, and horror. He who does not build on Jesus builds on the sand. Difficulties will come, winds will blow, and the effort will go to waste….Who is pious? This question cannot be answered in one sentence. He who fulfills his religious duties attends holy masses, prays, fasts, and does good deeds should be pious. However, many deny piety to these very people because it has become a habit for them only. They have nothing to do or are directly hypocrites because they do it only and only for praise or for others to notice them.

How to explain it? Unfortunately, we are witnessing that many”people have a noticeable discrepancy between their external and internal behavior. Others are in the Church, and others are at home. Can we talk about a good Christian? Although he prays and participates in the Holy Mass daily, he is angry, slandered, lazy, and reluctant. Is this true piety? True holiness is when we do what we say. James the Apostle writes: “So does faith: if it has no works, it is dead in itself “(Jam 2,17).

Therefore, let’s ask our conscience more often: Are we doing some things just for the praise of people? For reward already here on earth? Are our actions in line with our words? Let us be encouraged and soul the birds of action recommended to us by the teachings of the Lord Jesus, which the Church proclaims. To unite in good our words and our deeds. Let’s learn from those people around us who have already understood the words of the Lord Jesus, and their behavior is an example. Everyone has a mistake, let’s be aware of that, and therefore let’s learn from them only goodness and beauty, which have value before God.