"Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of mercy to all who call to you." (Psalm 85: 3,5)
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who 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 drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, 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 no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
REFLECTION
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Born in Albania, Agnes Gonxiha Bojaxhiu was her given name. We all know her as Mother Teresa of Calcutta-a petite nun who took care of the poor and destitute wherever she found them.
In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity. Her sisters are found in every continent, including Communist countries.
Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and canonized by Pope Francis September 4, 2016. I was one of many in the crowd in Rome, celebrating her beatification.
Direct and doing things where they were needed, she ministered to the dying, giving them the dignity of life and the sacredness of preparing them for death.
The Missionaries of Charity don't seek out public acclamation, headline pictures but quietly and happily take care of the poor and the destitute: Always with a smile, always welcoming you to their prayer life.
Oh, we say, they are too far from me, I donate already at the Church, I pray for the poor. Today, can we help one person in the name of Mother Teresa--carry a bag of needed hygiene items, nonperishable goods, or have a jacket or blanket in your car and when you see a soul begging for food, help, in the cold or in the heat, serve them in the name of Jesus, judging not.
Volunteer your time with the Sisters. They never turn down help!!
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