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What
to See in the Last Judgment
Fr.
George Smiga
19
- 20 November 2005
Matthew
25: 31- 46
Today's
Gospel of the Last Judgment is not a parable. It is a revelation.
It reveals to us the crux of the Gospel. It is perhaps the
clearest passage in the scriptures to disclose what it means
to be a follower of Jesus. Since this passage is so important,
it is vital that we understand it correctly. Yet there is
an aspect of this passage that is often overlooked.
This
scene is not so much about doing as it is about seeing. Now
of course we are called to do certain things: to feed the
hungry, give drink to those who thirst, welcome the stranger,
clothe the naked, care for the sick and imprisoned. We are
called to do all of this. But what is often overlooked is
why we are called to do these things. This is why
the most important word in this passage is the preposition
“to.”
Jesus
says whatever we do for the least of his brothers or sisters
you do it to him. Jesus does not say whatever we
do to the least of his brothers or sisters you do it for
him. He does not say that when we care for the hungry
we are acting for his sake. He does not say that when we show
respect to the stranger or the imprisoned, we are being tested
to prove that by loving them we love him.
No,
the connection is closer than that. When we do these things,
we do them to Jesus. What this passage is revealing
is that Jesus is present in those to whom we show ministry
and love. That is what we are called to see: Jesus' presence
in others. This presence is certainly in the least among us,
but not only in them. This passage reveals the intimate connection
which Jesus has with all people—the young and old, the attractive
and the repulsive, those who are successful, those who are
destitute. Jesus is present in all people. Therefore what
we do to anyone we do to him.
This
revelation requires faith. Only faith will allow such a wide
scope to Jesus' presence. We tend to limit Christ's presence
to those who look Christ-like, to those who are good and honest,
to those who are polite and responsible, to those who are
hardworking and respectable. But this revelation says that
such a view is too narrow. Whenever we encounter any person,
there is something Christ-like in that person. Jesus is present
in everyone.
It
is a profound challenge in believing this truth. We know that
people are not equally good or trustworthy. There are some
people who are manipulative and abusive. We sometimes need
to distance ourselves from such people, to hold them at arms
length. But even these least among us retain some presence
of Christ in them. Therefore, the shocking revelation is that
we must relate to each person as we relate to Christ.
Perhaps
it is easier to understand this challenge from another angle:
Christ never lets go of anyone. Christ chooses to remain even
in people who make disastrous decisions, in people who are
untrustworthy, in people with whom we dare not associate.
Christ lets go of no one. The Catholic tradition knows this
truth. It insists that each person has a value and a worth
that cannot be taken away. Every person retains a Christ-likeness.
This is why the Catholic tradition is opposed to abortion,
capital punishment, and war. Even in the limited situations
where these things can be tolerated, the extinguishing of
any life is extinguishing Christ.
Believing
the revelation of the Last Judgment can change us. We can
forgive our enemies, if we remember that Christ is in our
enemies. Even if we cannot see that Christ-likeness, we can
choose to believe that somehow it is still there. We can become
more patient with people who annoy us, if we believe that
Jesus remains in those we find difficult. We can become less
critical, less judgmental, less prejudiced, if we realize
that we do not need to see Christ's presence in others before
we believe it is there.
Each
time we accept this revelation it expands our vision. We begin
to see Christ everywhere, in a thousand faces. Whenever we
see good qualities and virtues, we will automatically say,
“Yes, there is a reflection of Jesus.” Whenever those qualities
seem absent, we will choose to believe that somehow there
is still a Christ-likeness there.
The
revelation of the Last Judgment attempts to change our vision.
Of course such vision will lead to action—to feeding the hungry
and welcoming the stranger. But action is not the first step.
The first step is not doing but seeing. If we see where Christ
is, doing will follow. If we recognize that Christ is present
in everyone, we cannot help but serve every brother and sister.
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