We have all probably loved or cared for someone in our life so much that we declared —
“If he’s not welcome here, then neither am I.”
“If you don’t let her play, then I don’t want to play either.”
Our response says —
“to not accept my friend is to not accept me.”
Jesus not only speaks in this manner, but he says two more things which clearly makes this one of his most demanding teachings.
It is also the testimony of his manner of living.
First, he identifies not just with his friends, or with those whom he loves or those who love him; rather, he identifies with the “least,” and the most “insignificant.”
He tells us that what we do to them, we do the same to him.
What we fail to do for them, we fail to do for the Lord.
In doing this, he raises the bar of loving and caring to include everyone.
At the same time, he raises even higher the bar of expectation so that our lives clearly are called to become lives of love, service, caring, generosity, compassion, outreach, understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation, and respect.
He is seeking nothing less than total transformation of our thinking and acting.
Second: He makes this issue so important that he presents it as the condition of our judgment.
He describes the scene in which these words are spoken at the judgment scene with the Son of Man — Christ — seated upon his throne.
There could not be a more frightful or definitive place to speak these words.
In other words, Jesus means for these words to be taken quite seriously.
And why would he not? Is not the safety and salvation of all in this life dependent upon this kind of caring?
If individuals and whole peoples can end up being the “least” and most “insignificant,” does not this teaching grant them the possibility of hope?
Is not the opposite of this hope simply suffering and despair?
Imagine proclaiming this passage in prison or on death row?
Imagine hearing this spoken to us by our worst enemy, or by the person whom we cannot or will not forgive.
It seems to be impossible teaching; it is way too much to expect!
Unless, of course, it is meant to invite us to become more like Christ himself and to transform us into a people who love one another as God loves us.
So says Jesus, “I have the words of everlasting life!”
Quote of the week | “The measure of love is love without measure.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
