Mt 25: 31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’
And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations
Care for the Least
Today’s readings present familiar themes. Leviticus reminds us of the obvious: “Do not steal. Do not swear falsely. Do not defraud your neighbor. Do not cause others to stumble. Do not bear hatred.” The charge we hear in Matthew’s gospel is also well-known to us: “Whatever you do to the least of your brothers and sisters, you do to me.”
Externally, these teachings are not that complicated; the letter behind them is clear. But internally, the challenge gets tougher, as we aim to embody the spirit that animates them. Today, let us pray for the grace to see—and respond to—Jesus in every person we meet, especially those most in need. In doing so, we will strive to follow the Lord’s charge to the Israelites: “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.”
—Fr. David Mastrangelo, S.J. is superior of the Taylor St. Jesuit community, Chicago, and director of Mission and Identity at Christ the King Jesuit High School, Chicago.
Prayer
Gracious God,
Empty our hands of the barnacles of success.
Empty our minds of all arrogant thought.
Empty our hearts of all false affection.
Loving Savior,
Fill our hands with the wounds of service.
Fill our minds with the vision of your beauty.
Fill our hearts with holy tears of peace.
—J. Michael Sparough, S.J.