The Orthodox Church has a Sunday called Judgment Sunday, and you may think to yourself, “Wow, that’s a harsh name!”
And, with such a severe name, you wonder, “What’s the Good News of salvation found here?”
The gospel passage is the story of the “sheep and goats,” the story of Christ’s second coming, but are we supposed to be happy about his return or afraid?
The Good News is that even though our exalted Lord may be “hidden in heaven,” we are given new eyes so that we can see God anew through our neighbor in need.
Not too long ago we baptized a young man into our church family
Yesterday, we baptized a whole family into our faith–6 of them to be exact!
Today, we also received a new catechumen and, soon, we hope to receive even more into the fold.
As we look at our growth and, as we think about these newly illumined folks, today’s Gospel passage becomes all the more relevant.
As a church community welcoming new members, we’re obligated to pray for them–both at home and as well as in the services–to instruct them, and to show them the importance of our Orthodox Christian faith
But , most of all, we have to demonstrate the gospel, the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection, by living it out.
The gospel is not a set of dry beliefs, doctrines, or theological precepts.
The gospel is Christian living in action!
Today’s Gospel reading is essentially a summary of what the Christian life should look like
It shows us that God takes the gospel seriously and, yes, as James said, “Faith without works is dead!”
Matthew 25: the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
This parable, a scene ripped from Daniel 7, sets the scene of final judgment.
Jesus, as the Son of Man, sits on this throne and separates all of us into two groups: one on the right (the sheep) and one on the left (the goats).
To those on the right, he says,
“Come, you that are blessed of my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34 GNT)
To those on the left, he says,
“Away from me, you that are under God’s curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!” (Matthew 25:41 GNT)
Yikes!
What distinguishes these two groups?
Why does one inherit the kingdom while God casts the other away to the enteral fire?
You may tell yourself: “Well, one group was Christian and the other wasn’t.”
Or you may think: “One group was Orthodox Christian and other wasn’t.”
Or, perhaps, you may even ponder: “I guess the sheep got theology right and, well, the other group failed Sunday School!”
But the distinguishing mark wasn’t denominationalism, religious affiliation, nor correct theological thinking.
If you think about it, these sorts of things actually divide us as brothers and sisters of the human race
What separates these two groups–the sheep and goats–is that one group loved their neighbors while the other one didn’t
Or , to put it another way, the sheep put their faith into action.
The sheep, according to Matthew, fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, received the stranger into their homes, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited those in prison.
This is quite the list, but what’s most interesting is what’s missing from the list
Many of things that we, as 21st century Christians, value, don’t appear.
There’s no mention of building great church structures, leaving huge endowments, creating great consumable media, evangelizing people to our cause, passing moral legislation, or even praying the services.
There’s even no mention of taking care of our own first.
The sheep, those who inherit the kingdom, are those who take care of the weaker, needy neighbor
These are the people on the outside of society . . . the marginalized.
These people are the ones we hate, despise, fear, or are in competition with
- With those who are hungry and thirsty, we compete for food. But love tells us to come together, sit at the same table, and share the blessings God has given us
.
For the strangers: we fear their ways, their culture, and their religion, but we are called to not just tolerate them, but to welcome them into our homes!
- To those who are naked, we not asked just to donate old clothing we’ve grown tired of, but to actually work at clothing them. St. John Chrysostom once said, “If you have two coats and do not share with your brother or sister who has none, then you are a thief!”
- For the sick: we are to care for them. Caring is not just sending happy thoughts and prayers, or even a just
visit or a card, but actually providing what is necessary for their health, welfare, maintenance, and protection.
- And, finally, for the imprisoned: we are to visit them. This does not mean just those who are imprisoned unjustly, or those accused of minor crimes, but all of them, including those who have harmed society in unimaginable and cruel ways.
Friends, loving your neighbor requires work and we often fall short!
Even I, as a priest, have fallen short of this great commandment of love and need to beg God’s forgiveness as well as those I’ve failed to love.
But, today’s Gospel also offers us Good News
Today’s reading has also proclaimed that Christ is present in these neighbors who suffer
We so desperately want to cling to Christ, to hold him, to love him
And, today’s reading rings around the world proclaiming: yes, you can cling to Christ, you can hold him, and you can love him
. . . in fact, he’s present, here in front of you . . . all you have to do is open your eyes and see him in your neighbor . . . and, most of all, to love him by loving your needy neighbor.
In fact, it’s our neighbor that makes Christ an incarnational reality for us.
If Christ is hidden, it is only because of our own stubbornness, our own refusal to love.
So, as we begin our Lenten journey, and as we welcome new, baby Christians into our midst, let us change our old ways, putting off the old Adam of selfishness, fear, bigotry, hate, egotism, greed, and pride.
Instead, let us put on the new Adam and repent by changing our ways, learning to pray, fast, and give alms.
And, most importantly, may our eyes be opened so that we’re compelled to see Christ in all our neighbors, and may we be called sheep as we’re welcomed into the kingdom.
So, I’m wondering . . .
How have you neglected your neighbor?
How will you transform yourself and live as the new Adam this Lent?
Comment below to join the conversation!
I often see the face of Christ in the face of people I encounter each day. I am working diligently this season of Lent to reach out to our Latino community which is about 1/2 of the Delavan population my goal is to reach out to Gods people where they are 🙏
May it be blessed!