Reading 1
Lv 19:1-2, 11-18
The LORD said to Moses,
“Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.
“You shall not steal.
You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.
You shall not swear falsely by my name,
thus profaning the name of your God.
I am the LORD.
“You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf,
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God.
I am the LORD.
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake.
I am the LORD.
“You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD.”
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
Responsorial PsalmR. (John 6:63b)
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Gospel
Mt 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who 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 drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
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 no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
Meditation: Matthew 25:31-46
“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
Lord Jesus, your humility amazes me! Rather than coming to us in overwhelming displays of power and might, you chose to show us your face in the poor, the sick, and the outcast. Lord, open my eyes to see you there. Help me to recognize your presence in every person in need, so that I can have the privilege of touching your heart, of hearing your voice, and even of feeding your hunger, as I reach out to the poor and the needy.
Lord, help me to see you also in the lonely and abandoned. You bore our sins alone. You died on the cross alone. You had no one to help you when you cried out in pain. And now you come to everyone who feels unwanted, rejected, and misunderstood. You are with them, waiting for companionship, for understanding, for compassion. You cry their tears with them. You look out the window with them, wondering if anyone will come to their aid. Lord, here I am! Let me see you and help you!
Jesus, you promised that whatever we do for the least of your brothers and sisters, we do for you. You promised that whenever we reach out to the poor and needy, to the hungry and imprisoned, to the sick and the dying, we will meet you. Give me a new heart, Lord, so that I can find you there. Give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone so that, taking a risk, I find you as my greatest reward. I don’t want to be satisfied with the status quo. So many people are hurting. There are so many ways I can help. And that means that there are so many more ways I can meet you! O Jesus, change my heart!
Finally, Lord, I know that your promise is not just for “the poor” out there. You promise that every time I am feeling alone or unappreciated, every time I see my own poverty, you are with me, ready to fill me up. Thank you, Lord, for such faithfulness! Thank you for such generosity!
“Jesus, teach me to be generous with all the riches you have given me. Show me how to share them with the poor in my midst&mash;even in my own home. Lord, I want to become like you!”
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