Tuesday after the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, 8/22/00Matthew 25: 34-40 Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 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, "Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" The King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."
In the name of the One Who accepts our gifts to others as to Himself, amen.
Mother Teresa used to say that the poor are the embodiment of Christ. Now we could argue about her theology, including just what she meant by that statement, but the truth is, Christ Jesus accepts what we do for His brothers and sisters as if we did it for Him. On the other hand, if you read this entire discussion in Matthew 25, you will see that the unrighteous are rejected for what they have not done for Christ by helping others.
Before you become self righteous, or for that matter despair, because of what you have or have not done for Christ through others, remember that Christ Jesus only accepts our gifts to Him through others, if we are first righteous through faith. If we are not first completely righteous by being covered by Christ Jesus' righteousness in Baptism, then Jesus will look for perfection in our own works, and point out every time we have failed.
But the Christian who has faith in Jesus' is covered with His righteousness. He then looks at what we do for others as evidence of our faith. He isn't worried about what we haven't done since He covered that Himself. What freedom this gives! Freedom to do good out of love and thanks to our God, instead of out of an attempt to be holy. Praise and thanks be to Jesus Who accepts our kindness to others as kindness to Himself. Amen.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are truly a wonderful God. You accept and praise the little things we do for others as if we did them for You. Help us to remember that connection and do good to others joyfully, because You have made us righteous by Your life and death, amen.
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