Thoughts for the Day

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. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then 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; for 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, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then 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? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And 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.” Then 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; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I 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.” Then 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?” Then 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.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

One of my earliest memories was in a hospital, crying. I had on a hospital gown, and had been given an injection. I was in bed, totally on my own but with the door open, and my parents were not present. I was terrified. Suddenly a man walking along the corridor stopped and put his head round the door. He asked "What's the matter?" I told him I was having my tonsils out, and I was scared. He sat on the end of the bed and gently talked about my going to sleep and it wouldn't hurt. He said when I woke up I would have some lovely jelly or perhaps ice-cream to make my throat feel better, and I would be home again in a day or so. This man probably never thought about the incident again, but after 70 years I have never forgotten him, and his kindness to a small very scared child.

Today many churches celebrate Christ as the King, and look at His judgement of the nations with the parable of the sheep and the goats. Many people find it a terrible and threatening story. But we Christians are the children of light as we have seen recently, and when we offer food and water to the hungry and thirsty, or welcome a stranger to church, or give clothes and food to a charity, or help sick neighbours, or raise money for those in the direst of circumstances, then our Lord says we are doing it as though to Him.

Our sin is not ignored, but Christ the King, gives those who are truly sorry, forgiveness. This parable offers the man who showed kindness to a little girl, and all of us who have shown love and generosity to others, the possibility of a future in His Kingdom of love.

King of kings,
as Your children,
may we never forget
the words of this parable.
May we learn to be generous
and non-judgemental,
to all around us,
and to treat all people
as we would wish to be treated.
Amen.