March 1, 2004 - Monday, 1st Week of Lent

Love of Neighbor Encountering God in People

Readings:
Lev 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15;
Mt 25:31-46 (Listen to MP3 - The judgement of nations)

Introduction

It is striking how the Bible insists, even in the Old Testament, that God is present where people love one another and do the works of mercy to one another. What we do to others is done to God. The Old Testament stressed love specially in regard to members of the chosen people, who were all to be considered as blood relatives, without excluding non-Jews. The New Testament extends this clearly not only to members of the people of God, but also to all people. The kingdom of God is present where people treat one another as brothers and sisters. Those belonging to the People of God have to bear witness to all that love exists and is alive, and therefore that God exists and is alive, by their love, particularly by their respect and concern for the weak and the fragile ones. It is by love of neighbor that we will be judged.

Opening Prayer

Lord, holy God, loving Father,
you give us the task to love one another
because you are holy
and you have loved us before we could love you.
Give us the ability to recognize your Son
in our brothers and sisters far and near.
Make us witnesses that love exists and is alive
and that you, the God of love,
exist and are alive now for ever.

Scripture Readings

First Reading: Lev 19:1-2, 11-18

The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

"You shall not steal.
You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.
You shall not swear falsely by my name,
thus profaning the name of your God.
I am the LORD.

"You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf,
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God.
I am the LORD.

"You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake.
I am the LORD.

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R (John 6:63b) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Gospel Reading: Mt 25:31-46 (Listen to MP3 - The judgement of nations)

Jesus said to his disciples, "When 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 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 drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your house. 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 good people will ask him: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you 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: whenever you did this to these little ones who are my brothers and sisters, 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: whatever you did not do for one of these little ones, you did not do for me.'

"And these will go into eternal punishment, but the just to eternal life."

Commentary

SOME people have a recurring nightmare in which they are being judged and found totally wanting. Today's reading sounds just like such a nightmare. Earlier generations of Christians thought about "that day" (dies illa) more than people want to do now. For centuries they sang that austere sequence Dies irae (Day of wrath), meditating on that ultimate scene of judgment.

It's impossible to evade the question of ultimate judgment, however you think of it. In the sight of God what will my life amount to in the end? In the face of that ultimate question we all feel naked and uncertain. Human beings have imagined a scenario where they can start all over again: reincarnation. But the same question arises again and again. This is not how the Christian faith sees it. Christian teaching is more stark. In the words of Qoheleth, "Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie" (11:3). There is no coming back (Lk 16:27).

We will meet today's reading again later. What can we take from it today? Our ultimate destiny, the thing that seems farthest away, actually hangs on the things nearest to hand, the most proximate: on how we treat the Lord in "the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned."

General Intercessions

–   For the many hungry for food and human dignity, that those who have more may provide them with what they need, we pray:

–   For strangers and aliens, that we may accept them with all their differences, we pray:

–   For the sick and for prisoners, people who are rarely visited, that we may show them our compassion and concern, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God, loving Father,
you let your Son share himself with us
in these signs of bread and wine.
Like him, and with his strength,
may we share ourselves
with our brothers and sisters
and encounter your Son
especially in the lonely and the fragile
whom you place on our way.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Loving Father,
we have encountered your Son Jesus Christ
in this eucharistic celebration.
May he accompany us today,
on the crossroads of the human city
and help us to show
your authentic face of a God who cares
to those in search of life and love,
that people may recognize
that your kingdom has come among us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

 “What you do to the least of my brothers, you have done to me,” the Lord said to us today. This is a beautiful task, but it is difficult. May God bless you for it, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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