Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: February 19, 2024

Date:   Monday of the 1st Week of Lent

Scripture Text:  Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

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.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no food, I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel text for today from Matthew is Jesus’ narrative of the judgment of nations. Jesus tells us our judgment will be based on how we treat one another, especially the least among us. Jesus tells us, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” as well as the reverse, whatever we did not do for another, we did not do for the LORD. Clearly, our love of the LORD whom we cannot see is to lived out/expressed through our love for one another whom we can see.  

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I seek to see Christ in others? Do I treat others as I would treat them if they were Christ?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, You created us in love, from love, for love. We owe our lives to You. You give us the commands to love You and to love one another. Grant that through your graces and guidance we will see You in one another and treat one another with the love we ourselves wish to be treated. Help us to put down our selfishness and self-centeredness and pick up our crosses daily, follow in your footsteps, Christ, as we make our way in faith, hope, and love to life in You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.