Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Know, Become, Love
This past weekend, I met my dad for a short visit and a tall beverage - a “quick one,” we call it. I wasn’t expecting deep conversation at an Applebee's, but there we were, talking about my kids while drawing on dad's 85 years of wisdom. I can’t stop thinking about our conversation. When discussing my twenty-something sons, dad reminded me that their identities are still becoming. Critical in navigating life and contributing, he said, is remembering Jesus' two greatest commandments: "Love God above all things, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 23)." Dad went on to emphasize the importance of self-love that leads outward. Not the "Live, Laugh, Love" kind, but self-realization sourced from the divine.
Today’s Gospel turns to Matthew 25, where Jesus speaks to the Jesuit principle of being "men and women for others.” It’s clear: justice isn't optional. What to do, then, when we are steeped in a crisis of community? In “To Begin With,The Sweet Grass,” poet Mary Oliver beautifully encourages: “And what do I risk to tell you this, which is all I know? Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.” Lord, might that we know, and become, love.
—Amanda B. Angaiak is the Director of Catholic Schools of Fairbanks, and President of Monroe Foundation, Inc. in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Prayer
Jesus you said, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. Grant that I take the risk - believing in your deep love as I become what is most needed in this world: a lover of self, a liberator of neighbor, a reflection of your kingdom.
—Amanda B. Angaiak
Pray with the Pope
Pray with the monthly prayer intentions of the pope.