Matthew 31 – 36
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory; escorted by the angels, and then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come you whom my Father has blessed, and take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since 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 made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.’ Then the virtuous will say in reply, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me”. Next, he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome¸ naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.” Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?” Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.’
Reflection
The season of Lent is a graced opportunity to deepen our relationship with the living God and to support others in their thirst for God. Today many people do not yet know the living Lord and seek meaning in their lives. God’s thirsts for all people was revealed to us in his coming to live amongst us and he wishes each one to come to know the great love that he has for each one. We may feel that we thirst for God but his thirst for all people is greater than we could ever imagine. Prayer is the wellspring from which we drink to satisfy our thirst and our Lenten fast deepens this prayer. When people speak to you about their quest for God you may feel able to gently introduce them to the person of Jesus and share with them some of what God in his mercy has done for you. This is the greatest form of spiritual alms that you could offer to another person.
From a well of prayer and mercy we are then more able to respond to the needs of our world today where we asked to challenge all forms of injustice that hold people, especially the poor in bondage.
There are ample opportunities in our post- modern age especially since the covid pandemic to respond to the needs of others. The economic downturn has created a new stratum of poor. Many people who previously lived a good quality of life have been forced to use food banks to provide basic meals for their families. Many foodbanks are funded by charities and staffed by volunteers. The demand is such that it can be impossible to keep shelves replenished. On occasion people are turned away until extra donations are received. Imagine for a moment the humiliation that the person who has mustered up their courage to come and ask for the most basic help feels at having to use these services stating that they have always paid their taxes, worked hard and fear that their children may go to bed hungry if they cannot get what they need. The situation is so serious that many schools today run their own food cupboards to supplement school meals and other services. These are open outside of school hours to minimise embarrassment for parents or care givers. As you pray each day you may be inspired to offer to volunteer at a local food bank or to donate food or other supplies to these essential services. You may wish to write to your local M.P highlighting the real concerns of your local community requesting practical help that will help to relieve the distress of those who suffer most. Other areas of concern are the escalating cost of utilities and the proposed reduction in winter fuel payment for the elderly. It is scandalous to think that war veterans and their families now need to visit foodbanks or live in cold houses because they cannot afford essentials. When we speak of the foreigner, global political unrest has forced many to seek asylum in far distant lands, often risking their very lives to reach a place of safety. Each day we read of the thousands who cross the oceans in poor quality boats seeking refuge in a new country. Government legislation has obliged the receiving country to hold many innocent people in asylum centres while their circumstances and rights to protection are determined. In response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit you may wish to volunteer at an Asylum project to support those in detention or offer language classes to people who are struggling with a new language in a foreign land. Sometimes the institutional church appears to be unable to effectively reach out to these people, but spirit filled people who are attuned to voice of God deep in their own hearts are effective, compassionate witnesses to the gospel as they campaign for the rights of the voiceless.
Another group of people whom you may wish to hold in prayer during this time are the many innocent women and children who are trafficked across the world today for sexual exploitation. Jesus expects us his followers to do all in our power to break this vicious cycle of crime and to bring the perpetrators to justice. He wishes all his followers to live pure and chaste lives that give glory to God and not exploit the integrity and dignity of the person. We are reminded ‘that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.’ (1Corinthians 6:19-20). Various charities and humanitarian support groups now offer Safe Houses to women, men and children who are victims of human trafficking and need more compassionate people to help support victims to heal from trauma and to rebuild their lives.
We are called to live in a new way and in this reflection, Jesus outlines very clearly the rewards of living gospel values. He promises the righteous a place at the right hand of God and eternal joy in the kingdom of His Father. ‘Come, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world’ Righteous living obliges the person to care for the poor, the sick, the needy, the downcast; the anawim of the kingdom of God. He expects us to reach out in love to the margins of society and care for those whom the world has abandoned. Failing to do so, rejects the person of Jesus today and can lead our own souls to perdition. The choice is ours.
Prayer
Each day, you offer me new opportunities to serve you; to be sensitive to the many global concerns that diminish the dignity of your people. Having listened to the cry of the poor of today,help me to be a voice for the voiceless;Fill me with your spirit, that I may know what to do;give me the courage to do it,‘so that I may lose the bonds of injustice,undo the thongs of the yoke,let the oppressed go free’ (Isaiah 58:6)
I make this prayer in your most holy name,O most compassionate God. Amen.
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