DAILY GOSPEL:
“Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” Monday, 1st week of Lent. (Mt 25: 31-46)

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.”

COMMENTARY

Lent is a great occasion for all of us to heed God’s call: “Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful” and today’s Gospel, which recounts the Final Judgment or the Definitive Coming of Christ at the end of times, reminds us that we will be judged according to how we have been merciful to those who are in need and loved Christ in those who are suffering, aside from the existence of eternal punishment and eternal life.

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.”

In this regard, if we are to be merciful and be living witnesses of the Gospel, of Christ’s love, we should examine ourselves on how we overcome our indifference in order to show our love and compassion especially to those who are weak, suffering, sick, poor, jobless, homeless…Pope Francis reminds us:

“take care of weakest brothers and sisters; I have seen so many good examples of this among you, and I thank you for this. My compliments! Namely, take care of the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and foreigners because we will be judged on this.”

We must examine ourselves if we are growing in mercy, love and compassion through the corporal and spiritual acts of mercy.

Fr. Rolly A., priest of Opus Dei.

SEE AS WELL:

THE 7 CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY in https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2016/04/04/the-7-corporal-works-of-mercy/

THE 7 SPIRITUAL WORKS ON MERCY in https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2016/03/31/the-7-spiritual-works-of-mercy/

SOURCE OF POPE FRANCIS’ QUOTE:https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/december/documents/papa-francesco_20141222_dipendenti-santa-sede-scv.html

ORIGINAL PHOTO SOURCE: http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/55a55d65eab8ea274b760d97/20-photos-that-show-why-pope-francis-is-so-awesome.jpg