“CHRIST BECAME THE LEAST TO MAKE YOU’RE THE GREATEST”
Saint Matthew 25: 31-46
2nd Last Sunday (Propers 26th): 18 November Anno Domini 2018
Father Jay Watson SSP
At first hearing, it almost appears as if Christ is establishing a works related criteria for being admitted into His Kingdom: 1) give Him food, 2) give Him drink, 3) take Him in, 4) clothe Him, 5) visit Him, 6) come to Him in prison; i.e. Because you did this to the least of His brethren. But apparently you won’t remember doing this to Him, as Him. Those not admitted to His Kingdom, also will have no recollection of letting Him down by not doing these things. So…
Is it merely social justice—a series of physical giving and caring of hungry and thirsty poor people: living on the streets, in refugee camps, Appalachian hovels, great expanses of Africa; social calls of empathy, sympathy, warmth, friendship, listening, praying, showing solidarity to all in hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes, hospices, jails, and prisons?
Yes and no. You know The Law says: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” You know The Lord’s parable of the Good Samaritan—told to shut the mouth and open the dead heart of the “Lawyer” who thought he was obeying the Decalogue and who didn’t understand that everyone was his neighbor, and that the only neighbor who could love everyone was the “Samaritan” Jesus Christ - - despised and marked for scorn, suffering, and death.
So, DO all the requirements of feeding, clothing, taking in, and visiting, and you will live. Do them not and you will die.
Also, know full well, that on a merely outwardly level of compliance, there are many Muslims and Atheists who do far more than any of you.
Again, none of this means you can refrain from loving your neighbor just because you can’t love him enough, perfectly, in any sense, so as to cooperate in “making the cut” to get into the Feast.
No, you DO acts of charity, sharing, giving, bearing the other’s burden, simply because Jesus is IN you and you are IN Jesus. Your almost infinite short-comings, failures, and monstrous misdeeds of selfishness and hatred, ARE wiped away, cleansed, disinfected, and forever forgiven, IN and BY the Blood of Jesus washed over + you and poured into you. You don’t do things to earn salvation. You don’t refrain from doing things since you can’t earn salvation. You do love your neighbor precisely because Jesus loves you and has placed you into Himself by visiting you in the prison of your unbelief; by giving you to drink of His water at your Holy + Washing; by clothing you in that Baptism; by feeding you at His Eucharistic Table.
Jesus has you. Cease resisting your Father, your Brother, your Groom, your family. The Holy Spirit constrains you to stay active in Christ—His Word—He THE WORD. Bathed in the Scriptures you bathe and water others who need The Water of Life. Remembering your Baptism and daily drowning the old Adam in repentance you visit the sick and imprisoned. Allowing the Holy Ghost to gather you here at the Communion Rail you feed your neighbors with Jesus’ merciful words.
If you don’t live in Scripture, Baptismal Repentance and Rebirth, and Sacramental eating and drinking, then you run the real risk of never being where the least of the brethren gather. Your pastor is the least of the brethren; your fellow parishioner is the least of the brethren; you are the least of your brethren, and your Lord and God became the ultimate least of the brethren—for He has your same flesh and blood—when He suffered and died at Calvary for your hunger, thirst, nakedness, and lonely abandonment in a world of shame and death.
Yes, The Son of Man will come in glory at the final Advent. But the good news for you today is that The Son of Man comes now in His glory. His glory is to forgive you all your sins and strengthen your faith by feeding, watering, clothing, and visiting you with His Good Friday, and Easter, and NOW, Body and Blood. And all His angels with Him…archangels “with all the company of heaven.” He sits on His chalice, paten, and altar top “throne of His glory” to make you His throne of glory as He give you Himself to eat and drink. And now, on His right hand, you are blessed of His Father, and your Father…
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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