Friends, in today’s Gospel, we see King Jesus judging the nations. To those on his right, he will say, "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 . . ." The righteous will ask when they performed these acts of love for the Lord. He will reply, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."
To those on his left, he will say, "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 . . ." These people wonder when they neglected the Lord so thoroughly. Then comes the answer: "Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me."
To love Christ is to love the ones whom Christ loves. The very drama of the parable is intended to stir us out of any complacency and beguile us out of any confusion on this score.
Reflect:Is it possible to love God and not love your neighbor? Why or why not?
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