Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 25:31-46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Verse 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, Verse 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Verse 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; Verse 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, Verse 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Verse 37Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? Verse 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? Verse 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' Verse 40And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Verse 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; Verse 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, Verse 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Verse 44Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Verse 45Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' Verse 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Devotion
In 1929, Mother Theresa arrived in India to begin working alone among the poorest of the poor and the lowest of the low in the slums of Calcutta. She spent every cent she had on an old shack, turning it into a school for small children. Mother Teresa's chalkboard was the shack's dirt floor, which she rubbed smooth with an old rag and wrote on with a pointed stick.
Even more amazing is the lasting effect she has had among young women and men. In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity. At the time of her death in 1997, there were over 5,000 sisters and 400 brothers active in over 600 missions in 123 countries of the world, aided by over 1 million co-workers. Mother Teresa is living proof that the call of the heavenly king, Jesus Christ, to love God by loving the neighbor, changes lives and empowers for service!
"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
Prayer
Come Lord Jesus, King of life and death. On bended knee before you, fill us with your Spirit that empowers us to go, intent on making a difference in the world as we rub shoulders with whomever we meet. May we be that cup of water, ray of hope, hand of healing or light in darkness, sharing and caring in your name. Amen.