The Least
From today’s reading;
Mt. 25:34-40
“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 these least brothers of mine, you did for me.‘”
Most of us know this as one of the basic tenets of our faith. How we treat “the least” as Christians, and specifically Catholic Christians, really does determine our understanding of our mission here on earth. But what does this mean in terms of today? Well, it can mean standing with the marginalized. It can mean standing up for the “stranger” at a time when they are vilified. It can mean supplying food pantries, making sandwiches and supporting a working wage. It can also mean supporting a safety net. Clothing the naked can be as simple as taking your old clothes to a church or rescue mission that you know helps people in that way. Or it can mean not purchasing clothes from companies that exploit child workers and who underpay employees. It can also be environmental.
For someone who is ill it can mean being present to someone who is bordering on despair, to someone who is lonely. Or Is there someone who longs to have a sense of communion with God but doesn’t know how? All of these are ways to serve the least.
But what strikes me the most about this part of the reading is the surprise of the “righteous”. They seem to be completely unaware that when they served people in this generous way that they were standing in for Christ and serving Christ himself. But that is how it should be, don’t you think? With all that we have been given, isn’t it just a natural response to want to give in return? Isn’t it the most genuine way to love God by recognizing that none of what we have been given was meant to be covetted?
We see daily what selfishness begets, but we also see, if we choose to look, what generosity begets. It really is everywhere.
Take 5 minutes today and think of both where you see generosity naturally occurring and how you can do a little more for the “least” among us.
