YOU DID IT TO ME

Christ the King - November 20

Today's gospel passage (Mt 25:31-46) describes the coming of the King-Messiah, who transfers his chosen ones to the kingdom of God, his Father and theirs.

The basic outlines are taken from Ezekiel, where the Shepherd-King judges "between sheep and sheep, between rams and he-goats" (Ez 34:17). His judgment will not take exceptional works into account, such as prophesying, casting out demons, or working miracles (Mt 7:22-23), but he will acknowledge the works of mercy.

Matthew lists these works, first positively following Isaiah: "to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked" (Is 58:7), then negatively, following Job: "men go naked now through your despoiling; you have grudged water to the thirsty man, and refused bread to the hungry" (Jb 22:6-7).

Matthew may have taken his cue also from Sirach (Ecclesiasticus): "Stretch your hand out also to the poor man ...Share the grief of the grief-stricken. Do not shrink from visiting the sick" (Sir 7:35-36).

I received from overseas a remarkable account of a baby's survival and of the part that two Catholics played in it. The words of Jesus, "In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40), provide a stark background to this true story.

A girl already engaged to be married conceived a baby by another man from a well-off family while her fiancé was absent in the capital city. The girl's mother decided that an abortion was called for and not to tell the fiancé.

A Catholic doctor was paid to do the operation at seven months after conception. A nurse was paid to dispose of the remains or, if the baby was still alive, the girl's mother would insert a poisoned plug in its nostrils.

A baby girl emerged alive and intact. The nose plug was inserted and the nurse took the baby to her home overnight. However, the baby sneezed the plug out of her nostrils and was still alive the next morning.

The nurse told the doctor who said he would call to inject poison into the baby. The nurse also told a friend, a Catholic woman, about her predicament.

The friend told the nurse to return at once to the baby. If the doctor had not come yet, the nurse should bring the baby to her friend.

The nurse brought the baby to her friend. It was still alive although it had received no nourishment since its birth. The friend brought the baby to a priest and left him with it. He had to find milk at once, then he gave the baby into the care of a home for abandoned babies.

The baby survived and grew strong. After eighteen months, the orphanage asked the priest to find a foster mother. He asked the friend of the nurse to adopt the baby, which she did. The little girl is now seven years old.

The words of Jesus are addressed equally to the doctor, to the girl's mother, to the nurse and to her friend, and to the priest: "In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me." You accepted money to kill me; you put a poisoned plug in my nostrils: "Go away from me". You gave me milk to drink; you adopted me: "Come, you whom my Father has blessed."

Jesus, the Saviour, is everyone's judge. He judges us all by our charity. Those also who have never known Jesus Christ can make contact with him, because, by the fact that they were born human, they have their likeness in Jesus. Whether they know it or not, their every act of love is directed at Jesus Christ, since everyone is a brother or sister of Jesus, God's Son in our flesh.

For that reason, non-Christians of goodwill, such as nurses like the one in our story, faithful in carrying out the tasks of their lives, and willing to serve others, share in Christ's redemption.

Those who live a truly authentic love of others possess something of God himself, even if they think that God doesn't exist. Where there is love and goodness, God is there. In the earth's little ones whom they care for, such as the baby girl, God is there and in fact they meet him.

When we recognize the Old Testament background of Matthew's judgment scene, we are not inclined to take it as a literal preview of the future day of the Last Judgment. Rather, we are obliged to live from moment to moment in view of our meeting with Jesus Christ, who presents himself to us in the poor, the needy and the defenceless, here and now.