So that you may not appear to people as one who is fasting, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
There Jesus emphasizes that fasting must be done with humility and with faith that comes from the heart, without showing people what kind of sacrifices we are making. He urges believers to fast in such a way that only God sees that act, and in people’s eyes we should remain ordinary and peaceful. The purpose of prayers and fasting is not public recognition or praise; they are directed to God, who sees everything and knows the depths of every person’s soul. Jesus stresses that if the fast is humble and without show, then God, in turn, answers and repays, visibly blessing our life. This passage teaches that fasting is a spiritual bond with God, carried out with personal devotion and obedience. God sees the condition of each of our hearts and rewards those who seek Him in secret, without public recognition, and whose true intention is a close relationship with God.