March 10, 2025

Matthew 25:31-46

In today’s reading, Jesus has a frank chat with us about how things are in God’s Kingdom. He tells us that when the Son of Man comes in his glory with angels surrounding him, he will sit on his glorious throne, with all nations assembled before him.  Then he will separate people according to how they have acted in life, like sorting sheep from goats, putting the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  It is not that sheep are inherently better than goats, although indeed they are a bit more docile and willing to be led, but rather this is a metaphor for two different attitudes in life. 

Then Jesus as king will say to the sheep, “Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  Then he explains exactly what actions and attitudes of compassion are pleasing and harmonious with God’s intentions and lead naturally to blessings: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, cloth those who have no clothes, care for the sick, and visit prisoners.  And these actions are not to be taken only for so-called important people, but for the “least brothers” of his, the most vulnerable and outcast members of society.  When we care for them with compassion, we are caring for the person of Jesus, and we are caring for God’s intentions, and we naturally become part of his kingdom.  It is like the law of karma; this happens of its own accord.

Then Jesus presents the contrast: those who are hard-hearted or apathetic and refuse to help those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, unclothed, sick, or imprisoned.  The natural consequence of this hardheartedness is that we are not caring for Jesus himself, and we are not in alignment with God’s ways.  By shutting ourselves off from God, the consequence is “eternal punishment,” while the righteous who had compassion will have “eternal life.”  It does not please God or please Jesus in the least that some people will suffer for their hardheartedness. But he is telling it like it is.  He is giving us fair warning to pay attention to God’s will that we help one another with a heart of compassion.  That is so. Amen.