Matthew 25:37-46: a reflection

37“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ 40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44“Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ 45“Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

In his teaching about the judgment, Jesus reveals a startling truth: that in caring for the hungry, the stranger, the sick, and the imprisoned, we are caring for him. Because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, the King says, you did it to me. And to those who neglected such, he says, because you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me. Jesus identifies himself with the least, the needy, the suffering; so that what we do, or fail to do, for them, we do or fail to do for him. To feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, is to serve Christ himself. This shows that in caring for the least, we are caring for Christ himself. In serving the least, we serve Christ himself. Christ identifies himself with the hungry, the stranger, the sick. What we do for the needy, we do for Christ. To care for the least is to care for the Lord.

Notice the astonishing identification Jesus makes. He speaks of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, the least of these; and he says that whatever is done, or not done, for them, is done, or not done, for him. Christ so identifies himself with the least and the needy that to serve them is to serve him, and to neglect them is to neglect him. This transforms how we see the needy around us, and how we see our acts of care toward them. The hungry person we feed, the stranger we welcome, the sick or imprisoned person we visit, is not merely a needy human being; in serving them, we are serving Christ himself, who identifies with them. Our acts of care for the least are not small or insignificant; they are done to Christ. And our failures to care are not minor omissions; they are failures toward Christ. This gives dignity and weight to caring for the needy, and warns us against neglecting them. We do well to see Christ in the least, to serve the needy as we would serve him, and not to neglect those in whom he identifies himself. See Christ in the least; serve the needy as you would serve him. What we do for the hungry, stranger, and sick, we do for Christ. Caring for the least is serving the Lord himself. Do not neglect the needy, in whom Christ identifies himself.

That is worth taking to heart, for in caring for the least, the hungry, the stranger, the sick, we are caring for Christ himself, who identifies with them, so that our acts of care for the needy are done to him. We can overlook the needy, or think caring for them a small thing; but Jesus said that what we do for the least of these, we do for him, and what we fail to do for them, we fail to do for him. Christ is in the least. Do not neglect the needy; see Christ in them, and serve them as you would serve him. See Christ in the least and serve the needy as you would serve him, not neglecting those in whom he identifies himself, for Jesus, teaching about the judgment, revealed that in caring for the hungry, the stranger, the sick, and the imprisoned we are caring for him, saying, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me, and to those who neglected such, because you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me; for Christ so identifies himself with the least and the needy that whatever is done or not done for them is done or not done for him, which transforms how we see the needy around us and our acts of care toward them, since the hungry person we feed, the stranger we welcome, and the sick or imprisoned person we visit is not merely a needy human being but one in whom Christ identifies himself, so that our acts of care for the least are not small or insignificant but done to Christ, and our failures to care are not minor omissions but failures toward Christ, which gives dignity and weight to caring for the needy and warns us against neglecting them, so that we do well to see Christ in the least, serve the needy as we would serve him, and not neglect those in whom he identifies himself.

Lord Jesus, in your teaching about the judgment, you reveal a startling truth: that in caring for the hungry, the stranger, the sick, and the imprisoned, we are caring for you. Because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, the King says, you did it to me. And to those who neglected such, you say, because you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me. You identify yourself with the least, the needy, the suffering; so that what we do, or fail to do, for them, we do or fail to do for you. To feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, is to serve you yourself. Show me the astonishing identification you make. You speak of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, the least of these; and you say that whatever is done, or not done, for them, is done, or not done, for you. You so identify yourself with the least and the needy that to serve them is to serve you, and to neglect them is to neglect you. This transforms how I see the needy around me, and how I see my acts of care toward them. The hungry person I feed, the stranger I welcome, the sick or imprisoned person I visit, is not merely a needy human being; in serving them, I am serving you, who identify with them. My acts of care for the least are not small; they are done to you. And my failures to care are failures toward you. Take that to my heart, for in caring for the least I am caring for you. Keep me from overlooking the needy or thinking care for them a small thing; help me see you in the least, Lord, and serve the needy as I would serve you, not neglecting those in whom you identify yourself, but feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, and visiting the sick and imprisoned as done to you.