The spiritual disciplines of almsgiving, prayer and fasting (in Matt. 6:1–6 and 16–18) are linked with the storing up of treasures (in 6:19–21). The passage warns that if these spiritual exercises are done only to impress people, without God, they lose their meaning and we become hypocrites.
The gospel text for Ash Wednesday (March 6) deliberately links the spiritual disciplines of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (Matt. 6:1-6; 16-18) with storing up of treasures (6:19-21). The passage warns that if these spiritual exercises are done only to impress people, without God, they lose their meaning and we become hypocrites.