by Fr. Tommy Lane
I have sometimes been surprised that some people who are living a life of prayer and good works are afraid of their judgment in the next life. Surely, we could find no more just or merciful judge than Jesus. Surely, we could find no more loving judge than Jesus. Since Jesus gave his life for you, why would you be afraid to meet him at your judgment? Have you forgotten that Jesus loves you? At the end of Rom 8 (Rom 8:31-39), Paul describes a scene that to my mind looks a little like a judgment scene and Paul says Jesus is pleading for us at the right side of the Father. Surely you could have no better lawyer than Jesus. There is another one to help you also. Our Lady, who has been your spiritual mother all your life, would not let you down at that time. Think of this quote from St. John Vianney, “Only after the last judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.” (Mirjana Soldo My Heart Will Triumph p201) From now until after the last judgment Our Lady will be busy with you.
We prepare for our judgment by loving God and neighbor. Four Sundays ago, we listened to the Gospel passage where Jesus summed up all the laws in the Old Testament as loving God and loving neighbor. In today’s Gospel (Matt 25:31-46), Jesus unites loving God and neighbor into one as Jesus tells us when we love our neighbor, we love him:
I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was a stranger and you made me welcome,
lacking clothes and you clothed me,
sick and you visited me,
in prison and you came to see me. (Matt
25:35-36)
There are many other examples of helping others that we could add to that.
I was in lockdown (Covid-19 during 2020) and you brought me supplies.
I was isolated during lockdown and you
phoned to check that I was okay.
I missed my family and friends during
lockdown, and you did video calls with me.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux relates in her autobiography, Story of a Soul, how she volunteered to help an old nun, Sr. Peter, difficult to please, to get to the dining room every evening. St. Thérèse’s task was to bring her to the dining room, but she noticed Sr. Peter needed something else.
But I soon noticed that she found it very difficult to cut her bread, so I did not leave her till I had performed this last service. She was much touched by this attention on my part, for she had not expressed any wish on the subject; it was by this unsought-for kindness that I gained her entire confidence, and chiefly because—as I learnt later—at the end of my humble task I bestowed upon her my sweetest smile. (p248 in the 3rd edition translated by John Clark and p168 in the Logos/Verbum edition)
Imagine that! It was St. Thérèse’s smile, the simplest thing of all, that meant the most to Sr. Peter. A simple smile. Now we can add more to what Jesus said in the Gospel:
I was old and feeble, and you cared for
me.
I had difficulty eating and you cut my
food for me.
I was feeling the burden of old age and
you smiled to me.
Some years ago, I watched a French movie, Marie’s Story, which has subtitles in English. It is based on a true story about a girl in France, Marie Heurtin. She was a blind deaf teenager sent to a school for deaf children run by a convent (around 1900 AD). The school was for deaf children, but Marie was blind as well as deaf and sadly because of the difficulty communicating, in some respects she was also quite wild. That makes the early part of the movie challenging. There did not seem to be any hope for a solution to help her. But one of the nuns, Sr. Marguerite, rose to the challenge to try to get into the dark silent world of Marie and would not give up trying. A big, unexpected breakthrough came one day when, with the help of Sr. Marguerite, Marie learned the sign language for one word. After that, it was word after word and a complete turnaround in the life of Marie, thanks to Sr. Marguerite. It was very inspirational to see what Sr. Marguerite did in the life of one teenage girl. Sr. Marguerite knew the value of Marie and would not give up on her no matter how great the challenge. Her perseverance paid off. Now we can add more to what Jesus said in the Gospel.
I was a wild child and you helped me
integrate into society.
I was regarded as hopeless by everybody,
but you did not give up on me.
I was deaf and you taught me sign
language.
Of course, there are many others we could add such as,
I was in financial difficulty, and you
gave to the St. Vincent de Paul (Parish Poor Box) so that they could help me.
I was in a third world country, and you
gave to Trócaire (Catholic Charity) so that they could help me.
There are also those to Jesus’ left in the judgment scene in the Gospel today who did not help others. Jesus said, “ Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” (Matt 25:45) Just as we added many examples of what Jesus could say to those on his right, we could add many examples of what Jesus could say to those on his left.
I was weak at home
or in the workplace or school and you bullied me or took advantage
of me.
I
was in your company and you used foul language dishonoring my
presence in you and in those listening to you.
I
was in the womb and you had me snuffed out.
What Jesus said to those on his right would apply in those and similar situations, “in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” (Matt 25:45) But when we treat others well, then Christ is King in our lives and King in the world because by treating others well, we heal the hurt of society and make it better for everyone. Then Jesus is King.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2020
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Thirty-Fourth Sunday Year A: Christ the King
The Blind Spot 2023
Our treasure in heaven will be our corporal works of mercy
Related: Jesus is our king
Psalm Related: The Lord is my shepherd
stories about
seeing God in others
helping others
service