The Judgment of the Nations (2017-11-26, Jesus Christ the King)

Sunday 26 November 2017, 34^th (A)  /   Jesus Christ the King

● Ezekiel 34:11-12 ● Psalm 23 ●  1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28  ●   + Matthew 25:31-46  ●  

Title: “The Judgment of the Nations (Christ the King)” 

[__01__]     On this feast of Jesus Christ, the King, we read this Gospel:  “The Judgment of the Nations.”

          Who are the nations?

          And, where can we encounter the nations of the world?

          One practical everyday example. Let’s say we arrive at Newark Airport or Kennedy Airport, with an international arrivals terminal, and there are multiple waiting areas, sections, or queues.

          This is customs. There are citizens from all over the world arriving. This is true of any airport.

          Arriving in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), a queue/line for Brazilian passports differs from the line for all other non-Brazilian passport holders. In New York, all the holders of U.S. (United States) passports wait in one section. Those from all other countries wait in another section.

[__02__]    I would like to make this analogy and suggest the nations of the world are represented in the average everyday globalized international arrivals terminal.

          In this area, people are sorted by nation.  For those in Jesus’ day, they may have interpreted the Judgment to be a sorting only by nation with preferred status, TSA Precheck, or EZ Pass.

          But, in this Judgment of the Nations, everyone is to be judged.

          The Good News is this

lack of preference. It will not increase your waiting time your time in the line (queue).

          In the Judgment of the Nations, we are reminded that love – that charity – may ask us to do what is unfamiliar and to do so..not because of national identity but what is natural to us as part of our Christian calling.

          It is a reminder that our identity  -- even religious identity --  status as a registered parishioner, or for that matter, as a religious Catholic priest, as a religious sister or brother, as the archbishop, as the pope. Each of us will be judged. If you see Pope Francis with his bag at this international arrivals area, maybe you can help him with his bags. 

[__03__]     Everyone is to be judged by this standard: ….  “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.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

          How will you and I be judged? We are going to be judged on our nationality or whether we won a national championship but more whether we served others  naturally.

 [__04__]      When we become a NATION, we are expected to carry out certain things.

          I’d like to extend this definition of NATION to mean any group identity we might have or that we might think would give us preferred status.

          One of my siblings is a very dedicated NY Yankees fan and lives in RedSox Nation in Massachusetts, near Boston.     Nation refers to identity,  sometimes also to an adopted identity in this case.

[__05__]     In 2007, when I was a priest-chaplain for the West Orange Fire Department, a house fire broke out in West Orange which resulted in the response of several local fire departments  and the injury – the burn – one East Orange firefighter.

          He was hospitalized – though not life-threatening - at the Saint Barnabas burn unit.  Though I had been to Saint Barnabas many times to visit people before – and since – I was feeling frightened of going to this particular section. This was, of course, ironic because I was the FIRE chaplain.
That was my “NATION” my group, my “NATIONAL IDENTITY.” But, would it be natural?

          I had to push myself to go, and one Saturday morning I went.

          When I arrived, I learned the patient and firefighter was not only a fire captain but also the fire chaplain and very comfortable sharing in and helping me with the prayer.

          I am not sure how much I actually said. I could was partially speechless. I was seated, relaxed..

          Not only did I recognize his need for help, he also did the same for me. Together, we help each other to inherit the kingdom. The poor and the hungry help us to find Jesus and the kingdom.

          “As often as you did this for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

          Good News: it will not increase our waiting time. [_fin]