This is the first reading of the day, 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14: (Yes, I did cut and past this from the provided link) When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here;the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you,” Elisha replied. And so the two went on together. Fifty of the guild prophets followed and when the two stopped at the Jordan, they stood facing them at a distance. Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,“Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.” “You have asked something that is not easy,” Elijah replied. “Still, if you see me taken up from you, your wish will be granted; otherwise not.” As they walked on conversing, a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. When Elisha saw it happen he cried out, “My father! my father! Israel’s chariots and drivers!” But when he could no longer see him, Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two. Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him, and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan. Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah, Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.

So, I had to go and and read a little around this one. My study bible says that the two books of Kings intend to show "the consecutive history of Israel from the birth of Samuel to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 b.c."

That didn't explain much about this reading.

I was first confused about this whole "double portion" of Elijah's spirit that Elisha wants. Doesn't our spirit go to God? Then I thought, well, maybe this is early enough in history that the Israelites where just figuring it out. Wrong again. My handy-dandy little study bible told me that what he was asking for was a double portion of the spirit of prophecy, following Jewish law that a first born son inherit a double portion of his father's property (Dt 21, 17). Well, claptrap. I've noticed in the old testament, that God seems to really dig those guys that ask for A LOT. And ask A LOT of questions. So, Elijah tells him "maybe so, kid, maybe not." Then is whisked away bodily by what I assume is some kind of tornado-looking thing. What Elisha gets is the big "maybe so, kid" because he takes up Elijah's mantle (robe?), after tearing his own in grief, and parts the Jordan, like Abraham. I'm not sure what we are learning from this, although I like the story, and I'm gonna give it a shot. I think what we are talking about here is God rewarding us on earth for listening to him. It seems to me that Elisha has tried very hard to follow in his own father's footsteps and preach the word of God and worship accordingly. God rewards him by giving him what he asks for, therefore giving him more power to worship and lead others to worship in the correct ways.

So, here is the gospel for today, and I think I'm getting the tie-in.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
"Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your alms giving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Even though this seems to be an opposite example of how to act than what we just read in Kings, I think that it's an expansion on the idea, kind of a modernization for the Jews of the time. Kings tells us that we get an earthly reward for following the laws of God in our hearts, and Matthew tells us that Jesus said "not anymore, gringos". Okay that may not be an EXACT quote. More of a paraphrase. Maybe Jesus saw people talking out of both sides of their mouths just like they have done in every era since the beginning of time. People see other Christians making a really big deal about their "works" and "ministries", and they look for hypocrisies in those other people automatically. And face it, if you look hard enough at anyone, you'll see at least a little hypocrite living in their head. It seems to me that God just wants us to concentrate on what HE wants, ignore other people, and not make such a big deal convincing everyone around us what a good person/christian we are. That is one of the toughest calls in the bible.