"In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me." Matthew 25:31-46

Today's Readings 

 

"In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."  

 

Matthew 25:31-46

Reading 1, Ez 34:11-12, 15-17

¹¹ "For the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I myself shall take care of my flock and look after it.

¹² As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so shall I look after my sheep. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered on the day of clouds and darkness.

¹⁵ I myself shall pasture my sheep, I myself shall give them rest -- declares the Lord Yahweh.

¹⁶ I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the injured and make the sick strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them.

¹⁷ "As for you, my sheep, the Lord Yahweh says this: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and he-goats.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 23:1-2, 2-3, 5, 6

¹ [Psalm Of David] Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

² In grassy meadows he lets me lie. By tranquil streams he leads me

³ to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.

⁵ You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup brims over.

⁶ Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.

 

Gospel 

 

"In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."  

Matthew 25:31-46

³¹ 'When the Son of man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory.

³² All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats.

³³ He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.

³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.

³⁵ For 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,

³⁶ lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."

³⁷ Then the upright will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you?

³⁹ When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?"

⁴⁰ And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."

⁴¹ Then he will say to those on his left hand, "Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

⁴² For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink,

⁴³ I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, lacking clothes and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me."

⁴⁴ Then it will be their turn to ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or lacking clothes, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?"

⁴⁵ Then he will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me."

⁴⁶ And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life.'

Reading 2, 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28

²⁰ In fact, however, Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

²¹ As it was by one man that death came, so through one man has come the resurrection of the dead.

²² Just as all die in Adam, so in Christ all will be brought to life;

²³ but all of them in their proper order: Christ the first-fruits, and next, at his coming, those who belong to him.

²⁴ After that will come the end, when he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, having abolished every principality, every ruling force and power.

²⁵ For he is to be king until he has made his enemies his footstool,

²⁶ and the last of the enemies to be done away with is death, for he has put all things under his feet.

²⁸ When everything has been subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the One who has subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.