Today we sing Happy Feast Day to Jesus Christ, King of All People and King of the entire Universe! In the Apostles' Creed we declare that Jesus "will come again to judge the living and the dead." The Church's gospel selection for this last Sunday of the Liturgical Year is the Last Judgement from the gospel of Matthew, chapter 25 verses 31--46. Many of us Christians are aware of the scene depicted in this passage. All of humanity who ever lived is standing before Jesus, King and Judge. He says all those who "saw me hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, ill or imprisoned and helped me, and welcomed me when I was a stranger will be among the sheep". The sheep are the followers of Jesus who are welcomed into the heavenly kingdom. These men and women helped those in need wholeheartedly. They did not require an exam for the needy person to pass in order to qualify for an act of kindness from them. Those sent to the goats are those who did follow Jesus up to a certain point. Then when Jesus showed up dressed in rags that barely covered him, or asking for a sandwich or a cold or hot drink, or for a place to sleep that was too much. "That guy will only spend my dollar on alcohol," or as some say, "Let them get a job. Why should my taxes pay for such a cunning people who know how to work the system to steal our money." I just finished reading an article from the newsletter of Casa Juan Diego in Houston. The author, a member of the Catholic Worker movement founded by Servant of God Dorothy Day described some of those who hear the jibe, "Get a job." Each one of the persons he described came to the Casa for desperately needed help. Each one either had chronic illness, or was caring full-time for an invalid relative at home. Not one of them was physically capable of being hired by anyone. Yet, each of them has heard, "Get a job." Of course their job lies at home. How many of the well fed, and relatively well off accuse clients of Casa Juan Diego and other centers of catering to the lazy and those immigrants who would take unfair advantage of any kind of welfare.
If one realized that it was Jesus asking a favor, the response might be: "Let me see what I can do. Can I give away the excess clothing in my closet? Can I spare some cash today? Can I get a gift card from McDonald's or any other restaurant chain and hand it to a needy person who asks?" If I give someone a sandwich, do I slip a bottle of water or another beverage in the bag? A women near Washington, DC, once came in our book center and asked for food. I went upstairs to our convent and made a sandwich. I put that along with a bottle of water in the plastic bag with the food. She came back to thank me for the water. Anyone who has lived near D.C. in the summer can testify that the heat and humidity are grueling.
Several years ago I met a secretary in Miami, Florida. She was a Christian, a Protestant. "You know," she said, "my boyfriend is Catholic. For me. my religion is like a jacket. I put it on when I am in church. When I leave church, I take it off and hang it up. My boyfriend is not like that. He's Catholic all the time! Everything he does is Catholic!" Apparently his "being Catholic" was a testimony to her, not a bother, but something she appreciated. A practicing Catholic takes the Matthew 25:31--46 to heart. After all, the real bottom line on our life, the litmus test of our behavior is this passage. Jesus the homeless, the stranger, the immigrant, the annoying panhandler is asking for help. Jesus could be in disguise at home: the parent with the memory loss; the petulant infant who can sleep hours during the day and keeps you up at night; the new cashier who makes a mistake at the grocery store; or the waiter or waitress whose English is limited...in myriad forms and in the oddest places, Jesus, our King and Shepherd is waiting for your and my allegiance, my obedience to his appeal to help him as he hides in the disguise that shows up in front of me today.
"Lord," I ask, "Help me to serve you wherever you show up and need my help or forbearance. Please give me strength and courage to behave as a real member of your holy kingdom. I trust in your mercy. Let me show mercy to all whom I meet. Amen."
I like this picture of Christ, the King, still wearing his crown of thorns, because it reminds me that in the sick, the suffering the demented and the mentally ill, Christ still wears his crown of thorns. My kindness helps to alleviate the pain someone may be enduring from his or her crown of thorns.
Not to make this blog too long, but I must mention that today is the anniversary of the death of our Founder Blessed James Alberione. His last words were "Ave, Maria!" Although Father Alberione, was already unconscious, Pope Paul VI hastened to go to be with Blessed Alberione as he lay dying on November 26, 1971. I close with a quote from Blessed Pope Paul from the ceremony in 1969 when Paul bestowed a special honor on Alberione:
From the address of Pope Paul VI: Here before us we see the Pious Society of St. Paul, originally from Alba in Piedmont and now with a General House here in Rome. We know well that yours is not a simple institution but a Family: the “Pauline Family,” made up of various religious Institutes, which we are pleased to welcome here today and, as it were, pass in review…. We know about your activities, all of which are characterized by an apostolic spirit and purpose. Your principal apostolate is that of the editions, but you also carry out a liturgical apostolate, a parish apostolate, a vocation apostolate, and an apostolate aimed at helping various classes of people live the Christian life more intensively. We remember well that you began your apostolate by making modern use of the stupendous instruments now used for what is called social communication and that this is one of the characteristic features of the Pauline Family…. And this blossoming of different forms of disseminating Christian thought and word goes hand in hand with the geographical spread of your work, which by now has reached every continent….
We owe the building of your monumental Institute to your Founder, our dear and venerated Fr. James Alberione, here present. In the name of Christ, we thank and bless him. Here he is, humble, silent, tireless, ever vigilant, always recollected in his thoughts, which run from prayer to work according to the traditional saying: ora et labora (pray and work), ever intent on scrutinizing the “signs of the times,” that is to say, the most inspired ways of reaching souls. Our Fr. Alberione has given the Church new ways of expressing herself, new means to invigorate and broaden her apostolate, new capacities and a new awareness of the validity and possibilities of her mission in the modern world, with modern means.
Permit the Pope, dear Fr. Alberione, to rejoice in this long, faithful and tireless effort and the fruits it has produced for the glory of God and the good of the Church. Permit your children to rejoice with us and tell you today, perhaps as never before, of their affection and their promise to persevere in this work. (Cf. Paul VI, Audience of 28.06.1969)
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