Feb 23 Monday: Mt 25:31-46
Today’s Gospel presents Jesus’ powerful description of the Last Judgment. He uses a familiar image from Palestinian shepherd life. At night, shepherds would separate the more restless goats from the quieter sheep. Using this everyday scene, Jesus speaks about the final and public separation of the righteous from the wicked at his Second Coming. He will come in glory as Judge, and all nations will stand before him.
The striking element in this passage is the criterion of judgment. It is not based on status, wealth, or even religious appearance, but on love expressed in action. The measure will be the works of mercy we have performed, or failed to perform. In each person in need, whether we realized it or not, we encountered Christ himself. To serve them was to serve him. To ignore them was to ignore him.
Jesus presents six concrete situations. “I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger. Did you give me food, drink, welcome?” Then, “I was naked, sick, in prison. Did you clothe me? Did you visit me?” These are simple, practical acts of compassion. They are not extraordinary achievements but ordinary expressions of love. The righteous are surprised, they did not even realize they were serving Christ. The condemned are equally surprised, they did not recognize that their indifference was a rejection of him.
This teaching makes clear that Christian faith must be lived. Grace is given to us not only for personal sanctification but also for service. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta often reminded people, when the poor suffer, it is often because we have failed to become instruments of God’s love in their lives. Christ comes to us in what she called a “distressing disguise.”
Life messages:
- Everything the Church gives us, Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments, the Commandments, and her moral teaching, is meant to shape us into people capable of genuine charity. The purpose of prayer and worship is not isolation from the world but transformation of the heart, so that we may love concretely and generously. Eternal life is the fulfillment of a love that begins here.
- We must take seriously the danger of sins of omission. It is not only the evil we commit that endangers our souls, but also the good we neglect to do. When we fail to recognize Christ in the needy and refuse to serve them, we close our hearts to the very One who will judge us.
The Gospel invites us to examine our lives honestly. Each day gives us opportunities to meet Christ in others. The question at the end will be simple, did we love in action? God bless you.
Feb 24 Tuesday; Mt 6:7-15
