Gospel: November 26, 2023
(Sunday) Solemnity of our Lord Jesus, Christ the King
Psalter: Proper / (White)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23: 1-2, 2-3, 5-6 (1)
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
1st Reading: Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-172nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28Gospel: Matthew 25: 31-46When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be brought before him; and, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.
The king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, blessed of my Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me into your home. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to see me.’Then the righteous will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and give you food; thirsty, and give you something to drink; or a stranger, and welcome you; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and go to see you?’
The king will answer, ‘Truly I say to you: just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Go, cursed people, out of my sight, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry, and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me into your house; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.’
They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked or a stranger, sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
The king will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you: just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’And these will go into eternal punishment; but the just, to eternal life.”
Lectio Divina:Read: Ezekiel speaks of a judgment day when the Lord will separate the good from the bad, but only after seeking out the lost and providing for those in need. Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the last days, when the faithful will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ. In the Gospel, the king divides the nations, welcoming into eternal life those who have seen Christ in their brothers and sisters and treated them with compassion.
Reflect: During my university years, my favorite exams were those where the teacher handed out the questions in advance so that I could review the course material and prepare my responses. That type of exam allowed me to achieve mastery of the material.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the questions for the “exam” at the final judgment. He will ask us how we’ve treated those who are hungry or thirsty, naked or alone, sick or imprisoned. If we have been able to see Christ in our vulnerable brothers and sisters, we will be welcomed into his kingdom. We know what we have to do. Now we need to do it.
Pray: Lord, may I see you in all those in need and serve them as I would serve you.
Act: Perform an act of kindness for someone in need.
