Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me

 

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of 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 a drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."  

 

- Matthew 25:31–46 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been teaching the disciples about the end times, including the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, His Second Coming, and the judgment that will entail.  (End times includes all of the Christian era; the time of the Church in which we await Christ's return.)  He culminated these prophesies with parables about the disposition of the faithful at this time in which we await His return and judgment).  In Yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the parable of the Talents: "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory."  My study Bible calls today's reading the majestic climax of Christ's discourse, which is not simply a parable, but a prophesy of the universal judgment that will indeed come.  Since the Cross is now near to Him, my study Bible says, Jesus raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him.  As we will read, the standard of judgment is uncalculated mercy toward others.  The works which are produced by faith are emphasized, for saving faith always produces righteous works.  What we do reflects our true inner state.  The least in the parable refers to all the poor and the needy.  My study Bible adds that the needs described in this parable include both physical and spiritual needs.  So, therefore, the hungry or thirsty are not only those who need food and drink, but also those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel.  

 

 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left."  Christ uses sheep here to illustrate the righteous, as they follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  Goats indicate the unrighteous, as they do not follow the shepherd, and also walk along cliffs which represent sin.  

 

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: . . . "  My study Bible says that inherit is a term used with regard to sons and daughters rather than strangers or servants, for the righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).

 

" . . . for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me a drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  My study Bible comments that to see Christ in everyone is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). 

 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."   That the fire was prepared for the devil shows that God did not create hell for man, my study Bible asserts.  Rather, people choose this torment by their coldness of heart.  

 

One thing is certain about judgment, as portrayed by Christ in this landmark parable.  What He will be looking for -- that is, the thing that divides everything up between the sheep and the goats -- is compassion, the practice of mercy.  It seems to me that this practice involves much more than following commands, or doing what is right in our own sight, or even making precise moral choices.  Compassion is something that comes, first of all, from God who is love.  It is in light of this grace and mercy that we learn, also, how to practice grace and mercy ourselves.  Notice how the parable makes very clear what it is to follow our Master.  For He is our Shepherd, and His sheep know His voice, and they follow Him (John 10:27).  As Jesus Christ is the Logos, the Word, He is the originator of all things which we might be and become (John 1:1-5).  How can we know Him?  He has manifested Himself to us, as one of us, and so we know what and whom our Creator is.  We know what He has done as a human being; we know His mercy and love.  He knows the hearts of people (Acts 1:24).  As sheep, we hear His voice, and He calls us by name (John 10:3).  Therefore, as His obedient sheep, our actions are to be like Him, and we are made in such a way that we may grow to become more like Him through grace.  Our compassionate Lord (Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Mark 1:41, Mark 6:34) has come into the world so that we might know Him and know His Father (John 14:9).  In this parable of judgment, we can see many of Christ's teachings at work.  In St. Matthew's 10th chapter, Jesus teaches His disciples, "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (Matthew 10:40-42).  Note that "receiving" emphasizes the many ways to practice a sense of hospitality.  These acts of mercy and kindness remind us also of the teaching in the parable of the Ten Virgins, whose lamps would be kept lit through their supply of oil (the Greek word for oil sounding identical to the one meaning "mercy") to meet the Bridegroom (see this reading).  In yesterday's reading (see above), we read the parable of the Talents.  St. Chrysostom comments on this parable in one of his homilies, saying that it teaches us that it's not only sins of commission which matter, but also sins of omission.  He says, "Do you see how sins of omission also are met with extreme rejection? It is not only the covetous, the active doer of evil things and the adulterer, but also the one who fails to do good" (Manlio Simonetti, Matthew 14–28, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 229).  This principle, also, is made very clear in today's parable of judgment given by Jesus.  The good things done by the sheep are contrasted with the failure to practice mercy by the goats.  In teaching about the end times, and His Second Coming, Jesus has repeatedly emphasized for His disciples that they must be watchful.  He has taught, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming" (Matthew 24:42); and, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13).  This emphasis on watchfulness is not about simply watching for the signs of His return, and certainly not about making timetables and predictions.  To be watchful, in Christ's examples and parables, is to be a good servant, to be alert for the opportunities to serve, and to be alert to the ways in which we can carry out our Lord's wishes and commands.  At this time as we prepare for Christmas, there is a traditional fast among the Orthodox, before we feast in celebration of Christ's Nativity.  Let us take this time to hone our watchfulness, to place an emphasis on our own spiritual alertness for the opportunities of mercy and grace, of receiving those who come to us in His name, that often present themselves when we least expect it.  Let us be alert to His call, the voice and presence of our Shepherd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?

 

 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.  Now behold, two of them were traveling that say day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  

 

So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.  And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"  Then one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there these days?"  

 

And He said to them, "What things?"  So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.  Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.  Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.  When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.  And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."  

 

Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!  Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.  

 

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.  But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent."  And He went in to stay with them.   Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.  And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"  So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"  And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.  

 

- Luke 24:12–35 

 

Yesterday we read that after the women returned to Christ's tomb and prepared spices and fragrant oils, they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.   Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.  But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.  Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.  Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' "  And they remembered His words.  Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.  And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 

 

  But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.  Now behold, two of them were traveling that say day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  The two of them are Cleopas and, according to tradition, St. Luke himself.  My study Bible notes that it was a common literary device for a writer not to give his own name (see Mark 14:51; John 21:24).  

 

 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.  And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"  Then one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there these days?"  My study Bible explains that the nature of the resurrected body is so different from its previous state that it is not immediately recognizable (John 20:14; 21:4, 12; see 1 Corinthians 15:35-44).  It's also able to take different forms -- which is what occurs here (see Mark 16:12).  My study Bible notes also that the Lord's resurrected body transcends not only physical space and time, but also appearance.  Sometimes He is recognized by His disciples, and other times He is not.   Also, here the text tells us that their eyes were restrained.  My study Bible comments that Christ intentionally prevents them from recognizing Him in order to expose their doubting thoughts and then cure them by means of the Old Testament Scriptures, as we read a little further along in today's reading.

 

 And He said to them, "What things?"  So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.  Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.  When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.  And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."  My study Bible comments that the disciples' hope for redemption was still imbedded in a foolish misunderstanding of the Messiah as a political savior or deliverer.  With Christ's death, this earthly hope had been dashed. 

 

 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!  Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.  My study Bible says here that it is partial faith to believe either in a messiah who only suffered or one that would only reign in His glory.  Complete faith, it notes, sees the Messiah as encompassing both, for all of this was foretold in the Law and the Prophets.  

 

 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.  But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent."  And He went in to stay with them.   Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.  And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"  So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"  And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.  Christ breaks bread in the same manner as at the Last Supper, my study Bible notes (see Luke 22:19), and so images the Eucharist of the New Testament Church.  All who commune with the Lord in His risen Body in faith have their eyes opened to know Him, for the Lord is known most perfectly in the breaking of bread.   They say to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us . . .?"  My study Bible calls this the inescapable effect of hearing the Holy Scriptures taught correctly and with faith (see 2 Timothy 2:15).  This burning, it says, is the conviction that the words and promises are true. 

 

 As we see from the text, the risen Christ is capable of seemingly anything.  Where and when He appears to His disciples doesn't have to be "logical" to us.  It doesn't have to make material sense, or even sense in terms of what we think of as normal limitations of time and space.  Even Christ's risen Body seems possibly to take on different forms.  At least we know, as well, that whether or not people discern who He is may be limited by Christ Himself.  Certainly we can look around ourselves and know that there are those who discern the "things of God" and those who do not, who simply can't perceive what others perceive in faith.  There are modern stories of conversion in the Orthodox Church in which people walk into a church filled with icons and other aspects of religious worship and are immediately struck by the presence of heaven there.  For others, there may be no response whatsoever.  However perception happens to us, however it is that faith grows in us, my study Bible says the description by the two disciples of their response to Jesus' word is telling and universal.  They say, upon reflection, "Did not our hearts burn within us . . . ?"  So how does Christ reveal Himself to you?  That is, the unlimited, risen Christ who has no barriers of time or space, and can apparently appear in any form? In the Orthodox Church, we encounter Christ through worship, through icons, through prayer, through His saints, through His angels, and in any number of ways that are uncountable.  In Romans 1, St. Paul speaks of the glory and truth of Christ showing through all of creation:  "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead . . ." (see Romans 1:18-23).  For this author, the sudden insights or revelations that come through faith and worship in the Church have come gradually and over time, but it is clearly a spiritual process, evolving from Baptism to the present day, and always grace that is at work.  "Did not our hearts burn within us . . .?" describes a feeling of recognition, a stirring of the depths of what is inside us, an identity deeper than we know, in a place where Christ knows us and we will eventually come to know ourselves as well.  The apostles are those who have come first in this New Testament story, who have experienced and known the risen Christ, to whom He appears and makes Himself known.  For they are the first, whom we follow, even as they followed the prophets and other Old Testament Scripture as a guide to the Christ, the Messiah.  Although Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, we observe that the manifestation of the fullness of God's truth is nonetheless something that may be missed unless we have the eyes to see and ears to hear.  Let us honor the mysterious working of grace in all the unexpected ways we've been given for God's power to manifest, most especially on this walking trip to Emmaus for two of the disciples.  Let us recognize the burning in our own hearts that kindles itself when God is present to us one way or another.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me

 

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of 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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer to Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?   Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  

 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

 

- Matthew 25:31-46 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been prophesying to the disciples about the end of the age, and His return, at which time judgment will happen.  In yesterday's reading, He gave the following parable:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went ad traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

  "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory."  Here begins what my study Bible calls the majestic climax of Christ's discourse.  It notes this is not simply a parable, but a prophesy of the universal judgment that is to come.  As the Cross is now near to Jesus, He is raising the hearer (His disciples and those who will follow) to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat with the whole world before Him.  My study Bible declares that the standard of judgment shown here is uncalculated mercy toward others.  Those works which are produced by faith are emphasized here -- for, my study Bible says, saving faith always produces righteous works.  What we do is a reflection of our true inner state.  

 

"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left."  My study Bible informs us that Christ uses sheep in order to show the righteous, for they follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  Goats illustrate the unrighteous, in the sense that they do not follow the shepherd and they walk along cliffs, which represent sin.

 

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of 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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'"  Inherit, my study Bible tells us, is a term that is used with regard to sons and daughters rather than strangers or servants.  The righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  

"Then the righteous will answer to Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?   Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  My study Bible comments that to see Christ in everyone is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).   Additionally, we should consider the least as all those who are poor and needy.  These needs here are not limited to physical needs, but also include spiritual ones.  

 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."  My study Bible says that as Jesus says the fire was prepared for the devil, it shows that God did not create hell for human beings.  But people choose this torment by their own coldness of heart.  Those who are hungry or thirsty, it also notes, are not simply ones who need food and drink -- but also those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel.

 

 An interesting observation we can make here is the correlation between  the choosing of coldness of heart and aligning ourselves with spiritual forces of evil; that is, the devil and his angels, those for whom the everlasting fire was prepared.  Indeed, what does coldness of heart do in this sense?  It neglects to help those in need, it neglects to give love, it neglects compassion.  It neglects to hear the call of those who are harmed or hurt by bad behavior, and neglects to notice those harmed by bad policies or practices many will support because it is encouraged within a social community.  Coldness of heart renders one incapable of considering a "neighbor" to be one who is made of the same stuff one is, created as a human being by God.  It will teach us to neglect to make "neighbors" through our actions, like the Good Samaritan of the parable in Luke 10:25-37.  Coldness of heart renders one capable of thinking of fellow human beings only insofar as they are of use to oneself, and discarding them on the basis of lack of usefulness when that doesn't prove to be the case.  Coldness of heart does not recognize other bonds besides what has usefulness.  It therefore damages relationships, unaware and unconcerned about the consequences.  Coldness of heart renders arrogance, a sense in which all that matters is one's own desire and interest,  a selfish perspective.  This kind of self-centeredness caters to cruelty; for why recognize the pain of others when it is inconvenient to oneself?  In short, such coldness of heart is irresponsible, damaging relations with abuse.  Moreover, it's the foundation of the types of hypocrisy condemned by Christ in His indictment of the practices of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23.   This coldness of heart is described by Jesus when He says of the scribes and Pharisees that "they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers" (Matthew 23:4).  Coldness of heart declares, "I don't care," and it is an indication of the kind of laziness illustrated in yesterday's parable (above) by the one his master called his "wicked and lazy servant."  That is, one who doesn't care enough to invest wisely, and according to the instructions of the Lord, whatever resources and life we're given by God.  To be lazy and wicked is to take the easy way out and through things, to want something for nothing, to play the game of entitlements that is borne of arrogance and a sense of superiority, that does not hear the call of Christ and respond to it.  In his conclusion to his first inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln of the United States used the phrase, "the better angels of our nature" to evoke that which calls us to remember our bonds to others, our union or community.  He said, "Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection."  President Lincoln may have been speaking about the looming United States Civil War which would in fact begin in earnest the following month.  But his own understanding of "the better angels of our nature" comes clearly through the gospel message of Jesus Christ, and what it is to prefer such "better angels" to alliance with that which is cold-hearted and neglectful.  Passions, which are seemingly hot or warm, are in fact agents and enablers of this ruthless coldness.   Thus, we have the historical emphasis in the Church teaching discipleship on these terms of self-awareness and self-mastery.  The lack of such is one more example of what it is to be truly lazy and unaware of what it is we are doing.  In Christ's teaching of judgment, the sheep and the goats resemble the difference between those who are paying attention, and those who are not.  The sheep are those who both hear and do the commandments of Christ.  In chapter 12, Jesus teaches, "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (see Matthew 12:46-50).   Let us find the way to hearts that hear and do, who know the voice of the Shepherd.

 

 

 

 

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

 

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of 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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

 

- Matthew 25:31-46 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been teaching the disciples about end times.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the parable of the Talents:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servants; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and his your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats."  My study Bible comments on today's reading, describing it as the majestic climax of His discourse on the end times.  This is not simply a parable only (of the sheep and goats images in the verses that follow), but also a prophecy of the universal judgment which will indeed come.  Since the Cross is now near to Him, my my study Bible says, Jesus raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat, and the whole world (all the nations) before Him.  

"And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: . . ."   My study Bible explains that Christ uses sheep to illustrate the righteous, because sheep follow the Shepherd's voice, and they are gentle and productive.  Goats are used to indicate the unrighteous, because they don't follow a shepherd and they walk along cliffs, which represent sin.  (We should keep in mind that these are symbols used because of particular traits, not an indictment of animals in nature!)  Inherit is a term used with sons and daughters rather than strangers or servants, because the righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  

". . . for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  My study Bible comments on this passage that to see Christ in everyone is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).   It notes also that the standard of judgment is uncalculated mercy toward others.  The works which are produced by faith are emphasized here, for, it says, saving faith always produces righteous works.  What we do reflects our true inner state.  The least refers to all the poor and needy.  My study Bible notes also that the needs described in this parable include both physical and spiritual needs.  Therefore, the hungry or thirsty are not those who need food and drink alone, but also those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel, and the infinite expressions possible through that gospel and our understanding of faith.

 

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."  My study Bible points out that Jesus says the fire was prepared for the devil; it explains that this shows that God did not create hell for human beings.  Rather, people choose this torment through their coldness of heart.

In yesterday's reading and commentary, we noted that the parable of the Talents (see above) indicated an emphasis on positive action by Christ.  That is, it did not stress the negative ("do not") but rather positive action by his servants in the use of the talents given by the master, in order to produce profit for the estate while he was away.  Each servant was rewarded accordingly upon the master's return.  In today's parable, Jesus takes this positive action one step further, by describing activities that are positive uses of the "talents" we're given by God, a heart capable of expressing compassion or "love in action" in any number of ways, and far more than we're given in the sample Jesus names here.  These are all actions which in some way are expressions that become fruit of the Spirit; because, if we listen to the Spirit with which we're blessed, this great grace we're given, our hearts are capable of such expression.   We are capable of loving others as we love ourselves.  That is, with the help of God, we become capable of the discernment to find such expression, even if it comes through an encouraging word or a prayer, even when no one else knows.  I am constantly surprised by the subtle action of prayer, and the response of people to prayer even when I haven't told them I pray for them.  This connection through spiritual life is genuine; the Kingdom among us one that forms relationship and relatedness, a community that is unseen and yet known and understood, perceived with faith.  It is this network of relationships, this communion, about which Christ always speaks, and which is effectively shown to render the power of judgment itself.  For it is how we participate in such a network, how we act to pursue such a community -- to add and contribute to it, to support and nurture it -- is how we participate and become the sheep He asks us to be.  Let us consider the very personal nature of the actions that Jesus names.  They are direct responses to need, to treating another as we would desire to be treated.  These acts of compassion are person-to-person; they are not detached theories of regulation or rules of morality.  They are rather acts of the heart that come from within, from the place where the Kingdom dwells within us and lives among us. 

 

 

When did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink?

Alpine Ibex goat on a precipice; cliffs are symbolic of the dangers of sin

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of 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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

- Matthew 25:31-46

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the parable of the Talents:   "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'   Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and his your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory."  My study bible calls today's entire reading the "majestic climax" of His discourse on His Second Coming and the end times;  clearly this is Christ's prophecy of universal judgment to come at that time.   It comments that as the Cross is now near to Jesus, He raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat, with the whole world before Him.  The standard of judgment expressed here is, in the words of my study bible, "uncalculated mercy toward others."  What is emphasized are the works that are produced by faith; a saving faith always produces righteous works.  When one is motivated from the heart, the works one does reflect the state of the heart, our true inner state.  When Jesus speaks of the "least" (verse 40:  "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me") refers to all the poor and needy, my study bible says.  The needs which are described in this parable are both physical and spiritual; in that respect, those who need food and drink also hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel (see also 5:6).

"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left."  My study bible comments that Christ uses sheep to illustrate the righteous, as they follow His voice, and are gentle and productive.  Goats illustrate the unrighteous, as they do not follow the shepherd, and they walk along cliffs, which represent the dangers of sin, even the threat of oblivion (see 8:32, also Psalm 37:10, Revelation 9:11).

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of 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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'"   Inherit is a term commonly used with sons and daughters, as opposed to strangers or servants, my study bible points out.  The righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  My study bible comments that to see Christ in everyone is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (22:39).

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."  My study bible says of the fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels that it shows that God did not create hell for man.  Rather, people choose this torment by their coldness of heart.

How will we be judged?  Judgment is a great mystery as no one really knows the depths of our hearts as the Lord does.  Just like in Jesus' parables about the good and the bad growing together (such as in the parable of the Wheat and the Tares (13:24-30), the "sheep" and the "goats" remain clear to Christ, but possibly indistinguishable to us.  We might look around ourselves and think that we can easily identify those who practice mercy and those who do not, but appearances can be deceiving either way.  We don't know everything about someone else, both merciful and cruel behavior can be something hidden, that others simply do not see; and again, one has to know the heart of a person to truly understand their motives.  One thing is certain, however, and that is that Jesus expects of us mercy if we desire to receive mercy, and most particularly this is true if we are His children by adoption.  His children will be "like Him," and perhaps above all we can see that Jesus is compassionate.  Time and again we read that He was "moved with compassion" for those in need; it also describes the behavior of the merciful Master understood to be the Lord in one of His parables (9:36, 14:14; 18:27).  In one patristic commentary, the sheep and the goats are images of human beings in whom Christ is either thriving or ailing.  That is, it is the healthy Christ in us who shows mercy in all the ways of the examples given here, and it is an ailing Christ in us who fails to do so.  In either case, the help and nurturing of the Christ in us is the practice of mercy.  Let us note, however, that mercy is not the product of a morbid guilt, and does not preclude justice.  Indeed, Christ's justice is perfect, as in so many cases mercy is the true prescription for justice.  Neither should we forget that kindness is mercy; even if we are unable to fulfill a direct and explicit request, kindness remains possible to us.  This is ultimately about seeing Christ in others, and especially the practice of the first and second greatest commandments:  to love God with heart and mind and soul, and to love neighbor as if our neighbor were ourselves.  When we think about mercy, we must think about nurturing and feeding (as in those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness"), because without proper nurturing we do not truly feed the Christ in us.  This is not simply about giving things to whomever asks, but about the practice of mercy.  It is not merciful to spoil a child or simply to indulge them in bad behavior:  just the same, we offer what we know or believe to be good if we ourselves we in the place of the recipient.  In another light we might shed on the "hidden" nature of mercy, we might compare a person who has spent a lifetime with a primary aim of seeking power and wealth who fails to practice mercy, but we can ascribe the same to a person who has spent a lifetime feeling pity for themselves and hence excluded the need for themselves to practice mercy to others.  No matter where we fall on the scale of life's benefits or unfortunate circumstances, there is one thing of which we can be certain:  we will all be called to account in Jesus' teaching of judgment.  There is none who does not fall into this picture of the sheep and the goats.  There might be times in our lives when we fit one or the other.   Let us note that Jesus emphasizes as sin in this parable the sin of omission:  those who miss the mark are those who fail to put into practice a calling to mercy.  What we begin with, however, is the understanding that in the journey of life we mustn't forget our main calling:  we are all called to become children of God by adoption.  It matters not where we start, nor even what life hands to us, we are all called to this vocation.  How do you need the call?  Let us remember that another way in which this parable has been understood is that when we suffer in life through the failure of mercy, Christ suffers with us, as He is neglected through us.  When we receive mercy in life, Christ also receives mercy through us.  None is alone, and none is born by nature to find a place "with the devil and his angels."  Indeed, even there, Christ comes offering constant mercy and calling us to the same, as it is truly His will that all might be with Him.  If we find ourselves seemingly stuck on a dangerous cliff, He'll show us the way to proceed.  It is His very gospel that calls us out of the prison of the evil one, the mindset of selfishness and abuse, of predatory violence and neglect.  Even the least of us may show mercy -- for this door of Christ is open to all of us, for "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" - John 10:7).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep

 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."  Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.  Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father." 

- John 10:1-18

In our current readings, Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles.  On this last day of the Feast, He has preached to the crowds and sparred with the religious leaders.   In the sixth sign of John's Gospel, Jesus has healed a man blind from birth, whom the religious authorities now debate and question.   In yesterday's reading, we were told that the leaders did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."   So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."  Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."  Christ here is contrasting the leadership of the men with whom He has been disputing with His own leadership.  My study bible says that they have failed as pastors of God's people ("pastor" comes from the Latin word for "shepherd").  Their leadership has been marked by deceit and pride and has lacked compassion.  On the other hand, Christ fulfills all virtue.  In accordance with the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, the door is God's Word, which means both the Scriptures and the Lord Himself, since the Scriptures reveal to us God the Word.  The one who tries to lead in a way that is neither in Christ nor according to the teaching of the Scriptures is a thief and a robber.   Rather than using this door so all can see His works openly, these false shepherd use underhanded means to control, steal, and manipulate people, ultimately destroying their souls (v. 10).  By contrast, those who lead according to Christ will find eternal life (v. 9).

"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."  Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.  My study bible tells us that as Christ has intimate knowledge of every person, so also true pastors in the Church strive to know their people by name; that is, personally.  Such pastors endeavor to understand each person's situation and needs, from the greatest to the least, expressing Christlike compassion for each one (Hebrews 4:15).  In return, people respond to a true leader, trusting that such a one is a follower of Christ.  Ignatius of Antioch comments, "Where the bishop is present, there the people shall gather."  In a traditional perspective, the response of the faithful can be a better indicator of just who is a true shepherd than the claims of leaders (7:47-49).

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."   My study bible tells us that the phrase all who ever came before Me doesn't refer to Moses or to genuine prophets, but rather to people who claimed to be the Messiah both before and after Christ, such as Judas of Galilee and Theudas (Acts 5:36-37). 

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  The ultimate thief, my study bible says, is Satan, who spreads lies and heresies among the people of God, which lures away both leaders and people.  Life means living in God's grace here on earth, and the more abundant life indicates the Kingdom to come.

"I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.  The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."  Here is Christ revealing Himself as the good shepherd.  As such, He enters by the door -- in other words, He fulfills the Scriptures which concern Himself.  He knows and is known by the Father.  Furthermore, He knows His people personally, and therefore is known by them.  Finally, He gives His life for the sake of His people, a direct prophecy of the coming Passion.

"And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd."  Other sheep are the Gentiles, who will be brought into the one flock with the Jews under one shepherd.  Therefore, for example, the Church transcends ethnic and racial lines.  My study bible notes that tradition from the beginning declared one bishop serving a city (Canon 8 of I Nicea).  In the early second century, St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote to a Church that held separate liturgies for Jewish and Gentile Christians, "Be careful to observe a single Eucharist, for there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup of His Blood that makes us one, and one altar, just as there is one bishop. . . . This is in line with God's will."

"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This command I have received from My Father."  Jesus is expressing the voluntary nature of the sacrifice He will make in His life-giving death on the Cross.  Moreover, He does nothing apart from the will of His Father.  This is a foundation in love for the faith He teaches.  My study bible says that as He laid down His life for us, so we lay down our lives for Him and for the sake of others.

Today's reading is simply packed with meanings and insights given by Christ about Himself, His Church, and the nature of His communion with the Father and with us.  Once again, as so often has been the case throughout John's Gospel, everything goes back to the Father.  Christ's identity comes from the Father (His sheep are those given to Him by the Father, see 6:37-39), there is no Son without the Father, and in today's reading He tells us that everything that is going to happen -- including the life He will lay down to take it again -- is by command of the Father.  There is more in today's reading, and that is the context of love which is expressed through the actions described, and which of course will become more explicit as the Gospel continues.  The good shepherd is one who will lay down his life for his sheep.  There is true devotion here, true care, true concern.  Moreover, the flock is that given by the Father, and so there is the bond of love between Father and Son which is extended to the sheep.  The sacrifice of life for the sake of others is a sacrifice expressing love.  That the sheep hear his voice -- the voice of the good shepherd --  is a recognition of love and care.  And by contrast, the stranger cares nothing for the sheep, and the sheep will not respond.  Love and care are intertwined with all of these teachings, but there is deeper meaning here about the nature of faith as well.  Love and care inspire both trust and loyalty.  These are two essential aspects of Christian faith.  The very essence of the Greek word for "faith" that is used in the Gospels has the root meaning of trust.  What makes you trust someone?  Why does a child trust a parent?  Why would a "sheep" respond to the voice of the "good shepherd" who calls the sheep by name?  Love in the heart of a person inspires trust in the object of that love.  Our faith is a kind of trust placed in the Good Shepherd, whom we know is not the thief nor the stranger who cares nothing for the sheep.  Just as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, implicitly puts His trust in the Father and the commands given to Him by the Father, so we place our trust in Christ.  Moreover, the expression of love is in loyalty.  Christ's loyalty to the Father is complete, and as His sheep, He asks for our loyalty as well, just as He is loyal to us to the point of death.  All of these sayings in today's readings are indicators about the nature of our faith, its rootedness in love, and its expression in love, loyalty, and trust to the point of the greatest sacrifice to save others in this flock.  The early martyrs will, of course, take this quite seriously, putting their lives on the line for Christ.  How, then, do we take this seriously today?  What do we put on the line for Christ, our Good Shepherd?  Is there anything that we sacrifice for the sake of love and trust in Him?  How does His loyalty to you call you forward, and how are you in turn loyal to Him?  Let us consider these questions, because they still pull at us, they remain real and valid for all time.  Our Good Shepherd remains the One who laid down His life for us, who calls us through love, who asks of us to do the same for love.  He gives us His loyalty and strength, and we follow Him.  How deeply do you rely on His trust and care for your life?

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.   And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of  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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'   Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

- Matthew 25:31-46

In our recent readings, Jesus has been telling the disciples about the end times, and the time of His return.  In yesterday's reading, He gave the following parable:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two,  and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent on the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy 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 them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.   And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of  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; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'   Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me.'"  This is what my study bible calls the majestic climax of Jesus' discourse, which is not simply a parable, but rather a prophecy of the universal judgment that will indeed come.  Since Jesus' Cross is now near to Him, He raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him.  He is clearly preparing His disciples for the Cross, and also all the rest of us for the time in which we live, in which we await His return.  The true standard of Christ's judgment is uncalculated mercy toward others.  Works that are produced by faith are the true emphasis here.  Saving faith always produces righteous works, my study bible tells us.  What we do reflects our true inner state.  The least refers to all the poor and the needy, in any sense of those words.  The needs that are described here include both physical and spiritual needs.  So, the hungry or thirsty aren't only those who need physical nourishment, but rather include all those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel.  Sheep are used by Christ to illustrate the righteous, as sheep follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  But goats indicate the unrighteous, not because any creature is inferior to another, but because they do not follow the shepherd and they also walk along cliffs, representative of sin.  To inherit is a term used only with regard to sons and daughters, rather than strangers or servants.  The righteous, we are to understand, become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  Seeing Christ in others is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself  (22:39).

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting 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; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch 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 everlasting punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  My study bible comments that the fire that was prepared for the devil shows that God did not create hell for human beings; rather, people choose this torment by their own coldness of heart.

One really couldn't think of a more eloquent parable than this, illustrating the importance of the practice of mercy, compassion, and love.  It is a perfect illustration of the golden rule, and -- as my study bible says -- the great commandment that Jesus cites to love one's neighbor as oneself.  Jesus has very frequently emphasized the importance of caring for the "little ones," here equivalent to "the least of these My brethren."  He is speaking directly to those who will become the leaders and founding pillars and bishops of His Church, so we must take into consideration His emphasis on this type of leadership among those who will be in authority.  But the teaching in the parable applies to each one of us, no matter what our situation, as we will each find circumstances in which there is an opportunity to exercise our own leadership and authority.  If you have a child, that is an opportunity.  If there is someone who is in some way one of the "least of these My brethren" who could use your help or care, then that is also an opportunity for the proper use of authority or position in a type of hierarchy.  In any situation or circumstance, someone who is powerful has the capacity to exercise the authority He proclaims in the parable for others who simply do not possess the strength, or the currency, or the capacity for doing for themselves what each of us would wish for if we were in such a position.  All of these are concepts of opportunity for the exercise of Christ's kind of leadership, helping the "least of these My brethren," whether that be someone with an illness, a deficiency of any kind, an inability to function in one dimension or another, or any other type of incapacity in any situation.  Let us consider how often we come across another who cannot fulfill every capacity or function for themselves, whether they are debilitated by their own frailties or susceptibilities or ailments of any kind, or subject to forms of prejudice or social stigma and hierarchies.  Frailty can be as simple as age and infirmity, or the helplessness of a child.  Let us consider the infinite ways God presents us with an opportunity to exercise the type of leadership and authority Christ proclaims as His own here.  He has already taught the disciples, on more than one occasion, that "whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (20:26-28, 23:11; see also James 1:27).  Each of us is presented with opportunities to "step up" and be the kind of authority that Jesus proclaims belongs to His household, His Church, His Kingdom, and the mansions therein.  Let us keep in mind that Jesus is not talking about pity when He speaks of caring for others.  He speaks of caring for "My brethren."