Whether we like it or not, judgment is a fact of life. That is true whether we are talking about the histories of nations or the events of our own personal life. If we break the law – exceed the speed limit on the road, for example, – the law enforcement officer will judge us and give us a ticket. If we eat or drink too much or live a lifestyle of constant stress then our bodies will judge us and we get sick. We simply cannot escape judgment in life.
Jesus rarely spoke about judgment; he spent most of his time teaching us about love. As we hear in today’s gospel account, however, there will be a final judgment and Jesus will be the judge. He, who often depicted himself as the Good Shepherd, uses this image that would be very familiar to the people of his day; it’s easy for us to understand, as well. Just as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats at the end of the day because the goats tend to be more rambunctious and can hurt the sheep when they are returned to their pens for the night, Jesus teaches that, so too shall there be a great division on the final day. Those on the right hand will be warmly welcomed into the heavenly kingdom, while those on the left will be condemned to hell. Let’s reflect on three points that this parable offers as we come to the end of yet another liturgical year and anticipate the end of time.
First, the parable makes it very clear that we are to view each individual as if he or she were Christ himself. “Lord, when did we feed you, or clothe you, or see you a stranger and welcome you?” was the question that was asked. And the response was: “whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Who is Christ? Christ is everyman. There will be those who say, “But master if we had only known that it was you we would have responded.” That is precisely the point. Our goodness must be uncalculating. If we do a kind act simply because we think that it will assist us in gaining entrance into heaven, then our motivation is not love but selfishness. As God has loved us, so we are called to love one another, and especially the marginalized. From the very generous response that so many of you make every Christmas to our Adopt-a-Family and Giving Tree programs, as well as so many other initiatives throughout the year, it is clear that you have learned this very important lesson.
Second, the parable teaches that in the end the criterion by which we shall all be judged will be simple acts of love as Jesus has taught it: the care for others for their benefit, not ours. In today’s parable, we hear that the King allows entrance into his kingdom not by affiliation with any particular religious group, or fame, or fortune, or credential. No, the final judgment is based upon how loving we were. And, he offers very concrete examples: feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, showing concern for those who are ill, taking care of those who did not have sufficient clothing.
Who would ever have thought that such simple acts would carry so much weight at the final judgment? Who would ever believe that we would be judged for what we might view as insignificant oversights? When we think of divine judgment we tend to think of a few life-making decisions, but according to this gospel passage, judgment comes every single day in the little commonplace things that we do or we do not do. As he demonstrated throughout his own life, Jesus teaches us in today’s gospel account that the main business that we are in is the business of love, and it is this criterion by which God will view our lives. Ignore the law of love and we are banished to hell. Of course, there is a real challenge in love. It requires nurturing and nurturing takes time. Only selfless love and a nurturing spirit will change hearts and minds.
Third, this parable suggests that in the end we are judged not only on the bad that we avoid, but the good that we do or do not do. Those on the left hand of the King were denied entrance into the Kingdom. Why? Because, he said, I was hungry or thirsty and you gave me no food or water, I was a stranger and you gave me no welcome, I was without clothes and you never gave me any.
We may think of divine judgment in a very different way. We think that we can get into heaven by refraining from certain sins. A religious person is one who does not smoke, does not drink excessively, does not curse. That’s not enough. There are many people who are fine, decent, respectable people who are not doing anything for Christ. Just last week we heard Jesus tell the story about the man who took his master’s money and buried it. Why did Jesus condemn him? Not because he gambled it away, not because he spent it frivolously, but because he did nothing with it. Those on the left hand side are refused entry into the Kingdom of God, not because of what they did but because of what they failed to do. Those of you my age and older will remember being taught the distinction between sins of commission and sins of omission; both are sins.
And, our everyday decisions are very important because, as we hear St. Paul declare in today’s second reading, Christ has been raised from the dead. We, who like Adam and Eve, will die, want to be brought to life in Christ. We want to be among those who belong to Christ. We want to inherit the kingdom he has prepared for us. As we come, once again, to the end of the liturgical year, let us gratefully acknowledge everything that God has given us – that is, everything that is good – and commit ourselves to seeing Christ in everyone – especially the poor, the sick, the forgotten – and loving everyone as Jesus taught us, by word and example, until that day that Christ, the king of the universe, comes to judge the living and the dead.