Sunday Readings: Ezekiel 34.11-12, 15-17; 1 Corinthians 15.20-26, 28; Matthew 25.31-46
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Then the King will say, ‘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; naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.
Jesus said, “Then the just will ask: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you were a stranger and welcome you or naked and give you clothing? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ The King will say, ‘I assure you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”
In the parable neither the just who inherit God’s kingdom nor the unjust whom the Son of Man condemns know when they saw Jesus in need and did or didn’t help him. Either compassionate seeing or hard-hearted blindness has become so much a part of them that it’s a saving or damning way of life.
Jesus identifies with even the least among us. In becoming one of us, God’s Son identifies with all of us. How we treat the least among us becomes the measure of how we treat God’s Son. Love of God and love of neighbor are inseparable.
In his passion Jesus himself becomes the least among us, suffering the kind of execution aimed to shame and subdue rebellious insurrectionists. Sunday’s parable calls us to recognize Jesus in all those who suffer.
- In what sense is every day a judgment day?
- In whom that you know and see do you recognize Jesus suffering?