Reflection
How do we show our love for Jesus, the Son of Man? Not by reciting long prayers or spending hours in meditation, but by loving the least of his brothers and sister on earth. The task: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, giving clothes to the naked and visiting those sick or in prison. It seems judgement is dependent upon whether we have the general desire to help the needy.
Let me not reach out to the needy just in order to gain eternal life myself, but because I have trained myself to see the needs of others and it has become second nature to help.
Today’s Prayer
Preparation: Begin by stilling; then dedicating the time of prayer to God and asking God that all you think, feel and imagine are for the glory of God.
Gift: Ask for what you desire. Suggestion: To know Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.
Setting: A Scripture reading to ponder – Lectio Divina.
Scripture
Matthew 25:31-46 WEB
But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?
When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’
“The King will answer them,
‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat;
I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in;
naked, and you didn’t clothe me;
sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
“Then they will also answer, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’
“Then he will answer them, saying,
‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Conversation: Talk to Jesus in your own words as a friend
Final Prayer: End with a formal prayer such as the Lord’s Prayer/Our Father.
Today’s Music
Whatsoever you do to the Least of my People: written Willard F. Jabusch