Sunday Reflection: Matthew 25: 31-46

We all well know that the holiday season we are in can be hectic and crazy, and can really use up all our time very quickly- as evidenced by my not having any posts last week between traveling and having to put in extra hours at work. Nothing to fear though, as I am back to my regular posting schedule.

The Christmas season is essentially upon us (next week being the first week of Advent), but before we get there we can't forget about the feast we celebrate today. The Sunday before the start of Advent always marks the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Today's reflection is focused on the reading out of the Gospel of Matthew, and I think this passage does a wonderful job of reminding us of the spirit we should have entering this Advent season and ultimately year round. It reads as follows:

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him. 

And he will separate them one from another,

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

Then the king will say to those on his right,

'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,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me,

ill and you cared for me,

in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink? 

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you? 

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply,

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Then he will say to those on his left,

'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,

I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you gave me no welcome,

naked and you gave me no clothing,

ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

Then they will answer and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,

and not minister to your needs?'

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,

what you did not do for one of these least ones,

you did not do for me.'

And these will go off to eternal punishment,

but the righteous to eternal life."

Clearly we should want to be the sheep in this narrative, and to be the sheep we need to live with a spirit of charity. Charity is noted by Saint Paul as one of the three theological virtues. Of these three, being Faith, Hope, and Charity, Saint Paul also notes that Charity is the most important. 

Charity is more than just the giving of alms to the poor, or simple kindness. It's important to define terms in order to encompass everything the term may mean. Charity, or as it is known in latin caritas, can be defined as the Christian love of one's fellows.  Love comes in many forms. In fact, in Greek there are eight different words for it, and the scriptures show frequently that Charity is the greatest of them. 

Christ tells us that there is no greater love than this, than to give up one's life for his friends. Not only did he describe this love for us but he showed it to us in the outpouring of his own life for us on the cross. While Charity does not call us all to die for others, it does call on us to give of ourselves for the good of others for the other's sake.

Fathers, it is important for us to remember that Charity begins at home with our families. We learn to love others properly through our familial relationships, most importantly with our spouses. We are called as husbands to love our wives as Christ loved the Church. We are to pour out ourselves for her, and then by extension our children as both their protector and provider. Wives, you are called to submit to your husbands. In this context, submission is properly understood as the support of your husbands in their mission, being the emulation of the self-sacrificial love of Christ. When the family life is properly in order as laid out in this framework, true Charity arises and can than be spread outward to our communities and the rest of humankind.

As a warning to all of us, we must also remember what will happen to us if we live our lives without Charity. An uncharitable heart is a detestable thing, and as depicted by Saint Matthew will be rewarded with eternal punishment. 

Let us all pray for an increase of Charity as we move into this Advent season, so that we may more fully order our lives to the sacrificial love of Christ.