Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
 Chapter 25 of The Gospel of Matthew is particularly unique.Matthew's "Judgment Scene" distinctively rewards some humans while punishing others. This Sunday's Gospel concludes three parables in which Matthew's Jesus informs his followers to be watchful and prepare for the Son of Man's eventual return. Ultimately Jesus the Messiah himself will reward righteous and merciful people whereas he will condemn unrighteous and mean-acting people to eternal punishment.
Daniel Harrington, SJ suggests that this story actually pertains to the Gentiles of the First Century CE. The Son of Man would judge them based upon their deeds of mercy to Jesus' disciples and the Early Christians. This interpretation was based upon ancient Jewish traditional understandings of a distinctive and separate final judgments for Jews and Gentiles, (Harrington, The Gospel of Matthew, 1991). Isn't it interesting; it's easier, then and now, to judge someone else than it is to judge ourselves. This sort of condemnation takes place despite Jesus' earlier suggestion in Matthew's Sermon on The Mount. Jesus cautions his followers not to judge other but to righteously and mercifully tend to our own affairs. Harrington concludes by suggesting that the typical sermon we hear on Christ the King Sunday responds to the wrong question. We normally hear about the wrong problem: What is the value of good works for the poor and needy at the final judgment? Harrington suggests this question: By what criterion can non-Jews and non-Christians alike enter God's Kingdom? (Ibid, p.360).
The folks at Faith Futures: Jesus Then and Now offer an even more meaningful interpretation. They suggest that Christians often understand this "end of age" story to believe that our eternal salvation depends on how we treat other people. However, wouldn't it even be more redemptive to believe that our religious faith should make the world here and now a better place for others. Rather than worrying about the Kingdom to  Come, let's use our faith and good works to do what we can alongside of Jesus to bring God's Reign of Peace, Mercy, Hope, and Compassion into being today. Let's also remember, we encounter the Risen Christ through our experiences with people we do and do not know. We never know for sure how Jesus himself is in our very midst. We do know that he spent most of his time on Earth with people who were poor, naked, blind, hungry, and imprisoned.
We're concluding the liturgical year by remembering that our eternal well-being resides in the heart and hands of a loving God who came into the world to redeem us from our evil ways even as Jesus the Christ provided us The Way toward enduring and everlasting life. It is up to us to determine whether or not we are going to focus on an final judgment that will occur at some unknown time or to earnestly and mercifully do what we can so that we will indeed receive God's reward: then and now.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+ |
