The really “good” Christian
There are a number of things to notice here in today's gospel reading.
- a) none of the things Jesus mentions are religious in nature.
- b) there is no mention whatever of any commandments being observed or violated.
- c) people are condemned not for doing actions which were morally wrong but for neglecting the needy and the weak among them.
- d) the actions are done (or not done) TO Jesus and not just FOR Jesus. In other words, Jesus is truly present in every person I meet. I am not just nice to this person (whom I may not care about very much) in order to do a “good act” which Jesus will reward and add to my bank account of “good works”. People cannot be used – even for spiritual purposes
To sum up, Jesus is saying that, if I wish to be counted among the sheep destined to enjoy eternal life, then I must be an actively loving person, irrespective of the response I get to my love. This is the way God loves me. It is not enough just to fulfil obligations, religious or otherwise. It won’t do to say, “I am a good enough Catholic”. My prayer life and spiritual exercises should bear fruit in showing concern and love for others or else all my prayer life is a sham and self-deception and will meet with God's condemnation on the judgement day. I must proactively see Jesus in all persons I meet. I am expected to keep going out of my way and reach out in love especially to those in need – the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the poor and naked, the sick and those in prison. It does not matter how they got sick (acquiring AIDS through a sexually promiscuous lifestyle, overindulgence in alcohol or nicotine) or why they are in prison (murder, rape of a young girl, terrorism…). These people are especially to be loved because they are the most in need of having their lives turned round.
This is the King I am called to serve. And the way he wants to be served is for me to be filled with care and compassion for brothers and sisters everywhere and especially for those who are furthest from him and those who are not experiencing the abundance with which he has filled this world. I serve Jesus my King by loving those who are materially, socially, psychologically, morally and spiritually poor.
The picture of the Judgement in the Gospel is not meant to fill us with fear and trembling. No, it is a challenge not about the future but about today. The surest way to guarantee that I will be saved by Jesus for eternal life is for me to become right now a loving, caring, tolerant, accepting person --- being the fruit of my sincere spiritual life. Let us pray for God's abundant grace in this regard.
Help me, Lord, to seek and find and respond to you
in every person and in every experience of this day.
Grant, Lord, that all my thoughts, intentions, actions and responses
may be directed solely to your love and service this day.
God Bless
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